LIAT pilots are refusing to be based in Trinidad because of the increasing criminal activity in the country.  So says Michael Blackburn, chairman of the Leeward Islands Pilots Association. “We are talking about a country with the third highest murder rate. We are talking about the Government in Trinidad and Tobago clearly declaring that crime is out of control. “We have the Canadian government, the United States government and the British government issuing travel warnings to their citizens.” He added the pilots who would have to move to Trinidad would have to be paid differently. “It would be challenging if there is no security arrangement. There has to be an allowance or some kind of risk pay,” said the union head. In a direct hit at the airline’s management, Blackburn said the pilots had no faith in the flight management team at LIAT, and insisted the airline’s management needed to be re-organized. Blackburn said while the carrier was within its right to establish a base in Trinidad, “it must first address the concerns of the workers who would be expected to move there.” He explained further that while the collective agreement allowed the company to open bases, it was so structured that to move a pilot out of the existing bases required an agreement with the union as far as spending was concerned. Blackburn said: “We have to agree on a new salary system for pilots to go to Trinidad, and if they are going to attempt to force that down, there is going to be very strong resistance from the pilots.” The company is desirous of establishing a base in Trinidad within the next three months, but this is being stymied by resistance from workers now based in Barbados and Antigua. The carrier’s chief executive officer Mark Darby said he was hopeful better sense would prevail, and the way would be cleared to move along and establish the base. He added the airline was missing out on huge potential earnings by delaying the setting up of the base. He said at this time LIAT was incurring huge bills for hotel accommodations for 24 crew members in Port-of-Spain..