 |
 |
| Boost for air service and safety underway | |
|
By WALLACE KIALA THE Civil Aviation Authority officially launched the Papua New Guinea Air Services Ltd (PNGASL) last Friday. The CAA board set up PNGASL as its subsidiary, earning its own revenue through improved delivery of air traffic control and related services. Its core function is to improve security and safety services within and outside PNG through the maintenance of essential communications, navigation and surveillance infrastructure to comply with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards. Set up under Project 2010 in line with the government’s cost-saving reform programme, PNGASL takes care of its 210 employees’ salaries without a Government salary subsidy, saving the government K8 million annually. CAA board chairman Rex Paki, speaking on behalf of Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Don Polye, said essential services to the rural sector were adversely affected and significantly diminished when rural airstrips fell into disrepair and in order to improve delivery of government policy to open up the country for domestic and international access this initiative was undertaken. CAA’s core business is safety and security of PNG air space and 21 airports so that domestic and international travelers enjoy the service. “The provision of civil aviation services in airports and air traffic control in addition to the roads infrastructure is vital for the PNG economy, and the government is committed to investing in maintaining sustainable civil aviation infrastructure for the delivery of safe and cost effective service,” Mr Paki said. He acknowledged the support of Australian government aid agency AusAID, Air Services Australia, and the airline industry including Air Niugini, Airlines PNG and MAF. PNGASL CEO Colin Kuchel said that although the current CAA management inherited an aging organisation that needed improvement, today’s success encourages PNGASL to aim to better its services. |
|
| Nation Stories | |
 |
 |
 |
 |