But president of the Technical Allied Workers Union (TAWU) Senator Chester Humphrey has insisted that the battle is not over.

He says the EC$500,000 (US$185,185) – which will be paid in tranches from the middle of this month to the end of November – did not buy an end to the workers’ agitation for what is owed them. The matter is going to arbitration.

“Taking this money ahead of the arbitration does not affect the merit or demerits of the case. The tribunal will make a fair and equitable judgment based on the evidence provided,” he told The Daily Observer in Antigua where LIAT is based.

The Grenada Government will provide EC$90,000 (US$33,333) of the half million dollars to help LIAT pay the workers.

The selection of members of the arbitration panel begins today so that it can be in place by next Friday. A decision is expected two weeks after the tribunal begins its work.

Senator Humphrey said that, in deciding to end the go-slow, the union and workers had taken into consideration the difficulties being experienced by the travelling public since the industrial action began last Monday.

LIAT had to cancel and reschedule flights to and from Grenada, affecting not only people who wanted to return home, but travellers who want to attend the island’s 2011 Carnival.

Corporate Communications Manager Desmond Brown said in a statement yesterday that, where possible, the airline will seek to add capacity to meet the demand for seats to Grenada taking into account the Carnival celebrations.

Grenada’s Prime Minister Tillman Thomas said he was pleased that the industrial action had ended, but said it had done some harm to the country.

“This situation has already affected our August festivals, our tourism sector and our economy, at a time when we could ill afford any disruption,” he said.

However, the Prime Minister added that “small business men and women could breathe easier as their potential for increasing their earnings during the Carnival period was now improved due to the resolution of the impasse”.