Corporation with National court ruling

 THE National Airports Corporation board and management can now fully focus on delivering vital services and products for the travelling public, acting managing director and chief executive officer Jerry Agus says

Agus said any uncertainties and animosity between the board and management and among staff had been resolved.

“We are now focused to deliver vital services for our clients and the travelling public following the National Court decision recognising our board under chairman Mal Lewis as the legitimately appointed board,” Agus said.

He was commenting after Justice Ere Kariko ruled in the National Court at Waigani last Wednesday that the board under the chairmanship of Lewis was a proper and legally constituted board as recently appointed by the National Executive Council.

He said the court challenge instituted by former board chairman Peter Neville had caused uncertainty among the senior management and staff and the current board but that had now been resolved by the court.

“One concern for the National Airports Corporation was the ongoing court battle between the two boards and who actually the legitimate board was, but that is now a thing of the past,” Agus said.

The new NAC board under chairman Mal Lewis had met on Sept 25 and in consultation with the other two NAC shareholders, who are the finance minister and the civil aviation minister, the board proceeded to appoint Jerry Agus as acting CEO and acting managing director for an indefinite period until a permanent appointment was made.

The new board has received the resignation letter from former CEO and managing director, Joseph Kintau.

Agus said the transition from the old board following his appointment had been smooth and senior management and staff had accepted the changes and were ready to move on.

 He said he had met with all managers from the major regional airports of Nadzab, Tokua, Kagamuga, Wewak, Madang and Goroka and they too had  regional managers who had accepted the changes.

He said one of the major focus projects for NAC now was to extend and redevelop the Jackson’s International Airport terminal in preparation for the 2015 Pacific Games and the upcoming APEC leaders meeting in 2018.