Opposition leader Ralph Gonsalves has issued a stark warning to the St Vincent government regarding the future of the local tourism industry, cautioning that the administration’s signal of its intention to renegotiate the country’s contract with JetBlue Airways is a dangerous move that could cripple the economy.
Speaking on his regular radio program, Gonsalves reacted to the public comment made by Tourism Minister Kishore Shallow,” who criticized the existing JetBlue agreement—negotiated under the ULP government as “unprofessional” and claimed the airline was taking advantage of the country.
Gonsalves argued that signaling an intention to renegotiate the agreement is a major misstep that shows a profound lack of governance experience.
According to Gonsalves, publicly attacking a major international carrier and attempting to force a renegotiation of terms could lead to immediate, adverse consequences. He explained that JetBlue could easily adapt to a hostile renegotiation by scaling back its operations.
Currently, JetBlue operates a highly beneficial schedule. However, Gonsalves warned that if the government attempts to alter the financial terms of the revenue guarantee, the airline may choose to drastically reduce its schedule.
“You know what that would mean?” Gonsalves asked his listeners. “Less people coming to stay in hotels, less taxis, and tourism numbers would go down.”
Gonsalves characterized the administration’s approach to international partnerships and aviation as a “big disappointment,” accusing them of being “devoid of any compass for governance.”
He asserted that standard revenue guarantees are normal agreements used across the region to secure reliable air travel, and attempting to dismantle them out of political posturing shows a disregard for St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ economic lifeblood.
He warned that such policy maneuvers are “playing with fire” and threaten to undo years of careful work spent building up the island’s international connections.
