Bougainville to get air service

 A SERVICE to restore air transport in the Autonomous Region of  Bougainville is expected to be up and running within the next two to four weeks.

Radio New Zealand International this week reported that the president’s office said Bougainville had been without a domestic air service since 1989.

Its chief of staff, Kevin Marimyas, said the initiative was part of the goal of president John Momis to restore many services the province had been without for a long time.

Marimyas said the private company, National Air Services, would provide the service in a joint venture arrangement with the government, which would also be a share holder in the company.

He said the much needed service should begin once airstrips were upgraded.

“Most of the form of transport at the moment is either sea transport, big vessels, rigger boats or outboard motors and we’d like to change that so people travel a little bit more in comfort rather than travelling in those oily boats or bumpy roads.”

Marimyas said people had little money at the moment but he was optimistic that people would chose air transport as it would be quicker.