CAL chairman: All hands must be on deck

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) chairman Reyna Kowlessar. - File photo

IF PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s mandate for Caribbean Airlines (CAL) to be turned around within two years, all hands must be on deck, CAL chairman Reyna Kowlessar says, while expressing confidence the PM’s demand will be met.

At the Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Champions of Business ceremony at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on November 13, where the airline copped the Internationally known, TT owned business of the year award, Kowlessar told reporters the company will undergo a full audit, engage in upskilling and promoting employees and conduct interviews to fill roles left vacant after recent resignations.

“It is about teamwork, it’s about having all hands on deck. Leadership is not about position, it is about progress, and we are here to work twice as hard with the entire team. We will get there and we are taking that mandate very seriously,” she said.

She told reporters she believes the airline has already made significant progress since the company has a new board which was appointed in June.

“We have a strong board.

“We are doing an audit in each department. We are optimising our routes, we are looking at where we can do better, where the gaps exist, we are retooling, upskilling – that sort of thing.”

She added that the company is looking internally to promote where that is a possibility and is also in active consultation with the TT Airline Pilots Association.

“We will be having a conversation very soon with the executive team as well as the first-level management to go through the financials and see where we are as a company. “Interviews to fill the roles are in progress.

There have been interviews that have been going on and they will be filled. There is one that will be filled soon and there are interviews scheduled to fill the roles.

“It’s a team effort. If we want to see CAL move forward it has to be an active participation and consultative process.”

However, she noted that changes still have to be made.

Referring to the company’s decision to end flights between Montego Bay/Kingston and Fort Lauderdale, Florida amid poor performance, she said CAL’s board has appointed an ad-hoc route optimisation committee. The last flight on that route was on November 1. “They (the routes) were sort of bleeding out and costing CAL a pretty penny.”

CAL FLIES HIGH

CAL’s acting CEO Nirmala Ramai accepted the award for the Internationally Known, TT Owned company of the year on behalf of the CAL team. “This recognition holds special meaning for us because it honours what we value the most – our identity as a company, proudly rooted in TT yet known and trusted across the Caribbean and beyond.

“We have established CAL as a symbol of excellence in regional aviation. CAL will continue to fly high to connect our region and to represent our nation with integrity, consistency and teamwork. Those are the values that define who we are.”

Kowlessar also celebrated CAL while speaking to reporters.

“I just want to say a special thank you for honouring us on this national platform. The company has gone through quite a lot in the past few months and this is a testament to the staff, the pilots, the crew and our operations,” she said.

“This is a testament to our resilience. This is not a full-stop. It will continue to get better. I hope we continue to make you proud, something that we take very seriously. As a citizen as well, I am very proud to be part of CAL.”

Kowlessar highlighted CAL’s involvement in TT’s relief efforts to Jamaica – who is also a shareholder of CAL.

“Just being a citizen and being able to help a fellow Caricom country is very meaningful to us at CAL.” CAL was among several companies whose excellence was recognised at the Champions of Business.

Veteran business leaders Germain Scott, chairman of AP Scott TT Ltd, as well as Bertram Manhin, founder of La Vega Estate, were inducted into the Business Hall of Fame.

Musical Instruments of TT Co. Ltd (MITTCO) won the entrepreneurship award.

Slimdown 360 Limited , a meal delivery service and food manufacturer earned the Green Agenda Award.

The breakthrough exporter of the year was awarded to Christle Limited.

Novo farms copped the Innovation award and Coded Arts, a video game and interactive media studio that specialises in 2D/3D game art, VR/AR experiences and mobile and console game assets, won the SME awards.