Concern over winding down of air service

THE users of the Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF) aircraft in Madang are worried that the service provided by its branch is winding down.
Gama LLG president Elijah Kas and ward six councillor Warrington Giewai said they were concern about how they would freight materials needed for basic services into the Gama and Simbai areas of Madang.
Kas said only a small plane used for carrying passengers and light cargo was operating and its final trip would be from Mt Hagen to bank airstrip next week and that was a big concern for the people.
He said they had building materials for schools and aid posts and other cargos for stores operating in Simbai and Gama and badly needed the air service.
Giewai appealed to the government to intervene and see if MAF needed financial assistance and help to subsidise or fund its operations because that was the only means of transport into parts of Madang.
Kas said with the airline closing down operations the Government would need to build roads to link the remote areas of the province with Madang town.
He said road network was now a crucial project for the Government to consider.
“We the people of Simbai, Gama and parts of Usino, Bundi, Middle Ramu and Rai Coast in Madang need MAF whether the leaders of this country like it or not,” Kas said.
Giewai said the only one option for them now was to hire helicopters to transport their materials which was costly.