Minister: Rezoning project poses danger to aircraft

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
Former Lands and National Airport Corporation officers have mucked up the rezoning of the State land near the Jackson International Airport which now puts lives at risk, Lands Minister Benny Allan revealed yesterday.
Allan (pictured) said that their decision to rezone the land between Morata and 8-Mile for a private housing project was now posing danger for residences and aircraft passengers.
“That land originally owned by NAC is in the flight path for aircraft landing at the airport. And aircraft facing mechanical problems will be forced to make emergency landing on that land,” he said.
“That is a gazetted aerodrome land. I will help support the current NAC management to reclaim that land if there is a legal dispute over that land’s ownership.”
Allan said that when he became minister in 2012, he advised the developer not to extend his housing project at Morata.
“But since those houses have already been constructed, the developer was advised to build a road in the middle of the houses for problematic aircraft to make emergency landings.
“Because it will cost the State millions of kina to demolish those newly constructed houses.”
On Aug 13, a 25-year-old man from Southern Highlands was killed allegedly by a security guards and police officers who were evicting the predominantly Pangia settlers for the developer to extend the housing project.
Civil Aviation Minister Davis Steven said last Thursday that the land belonged to the NAC and was the flight path for aircraft landing at the Jackson International Airport.
“That land in question is an airdrome land and it is a no-go zone. There should not be any development on that. And if there is any development it must be within the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulation,” he said. “In this case, the NAC who is responsible for the nation’s airport facilities and related facilities is licensed by CASA to mange our airports and safety is paramount.”
“Therefore, our official position is to oppose any developments, whether it is by a lease holder granted by Lands Department or anybody else for that matter. The law is quite clear, that is airdrome land and it is out of bounds for anybody else and the Land Act’s provision does not apply there once that land is been declared as airdrome. So the straight answer is that we oppose that development.”
Davis said that there have been correspondences to the lands department and other state agencies expressing opposition to the development on that land.
“And I’m saddened by the unfortunate incident that we now have a death as a result of an eviction exercise by a purported lease holder. As the true owner of that land, the NAC has never allowed the development to take place and in light of this event now I would be asking my department, especially NAC for a full brief.
CASA also will give me full brief on safety issues.
“And if necessary I will take action at the ministerial level.
But if it is absolutely necessary, I will take legal action to protect the state’s interests as we have done in respect to other encroachments within the same area.”