MOONILAL: CAL MUST DEAL WITH SAFETY ISSUES

Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal calls on Caribbean Airlines to address safety issues with urgency.

Transcript

00:00Opposition MP Dr. Rudal Munilal says the incidents involving Caribbean Airlines

00:05must be treated with the seriousness and immediacy it deserves.

00:09The leadership of the Caribbean Airlines and aviation regulators must urgently

00:17respond to the ominous warnings on safety issues raised by the pilots.

00:23Since the publicizing of two recent incidents involving carriers of Caribbean

00:29Airlines, the Trinidad and Tobago Airline Pilots Association have broken their silence.

00:35The association said it has been airing safety concerns for almost a decade

00:40about quote-unquote a troubling and persistent pattern.

00:44For us it is deeply disturbing that the authorities have ignored these

00:48cautions as they relate to maintenance practices and operational protocols.

00:54Dr. Munilal says Finance Minister Kom Imbert, who has ministerial responsibility for the

01:00national airline, must insist that this safety issue be handled with the greatest importance.

01:08Since an air accident could be fatal, we call upon the board of directors and senior management

01:15to take immediate steps to address the priorities raised by the pilots and other

01:22employees at Caribbean Airlines.

01:25And he says Minister Imbert must also report to the nation

01:29on the progress in responding to the pilots' alarm.

01:33This edge of the cliff incident of last Monday evening was too close for comfort

01:39and the rather naive explanation of a gas tank not filled properly is highly inadequate.

01:46A serious investigation must commence with public disclosure on its findings.

01:52Urvashi Tewari, Rupnirain, TV6 News.