K36mil airport project to benefit people: PM

The National Main Stories

By GYNNIE KERO
A K35.95 MILLION airport project at Vanimo in West Sepik is expected to drive development to benefit the people, says Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
He yesterday officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony for the new two-storey airport terminal and the extension of the airport.
“The Vanimo airport project will bring in a lot of development and economic benefits to the people,” he said.
“The airport will become our country’s gateway to other destinations. We want to make sure that the people of West Sepik, East Sepik and the country benefit by using the modern airport facilities in their travels.
“That is why we are improving the capacity of the Vanimo airport so that bigger planes can land and take off. That is why we want to make sure that the Vanimo airport is built quickly to an international standard.”
O’Neill said the roads linking the two Sepik provinces should be upgraded.
O’Neill arrived in Vanimo with a government delegation on Wednesday as part of his tour of Madang, Wewak and Vanimo.
“The Government knows that the people of West Sepik also need bridges and we are committed to having those projects looked at,” he said.
“We will send a big government delegation with the Secretary for Works to look at the road network in Vanimo town to be upgraded. The Government has budgeted K5 million for the road from Watarais to the Wutung border.’’ He also visited the Wutung border post.
O’Neill also assured the people of Vanimo and West Sepik, especially the landowners of the Frieda River mine, that their interests would be top priority.
“The Frieda River Mine project development has been with the government and developers for a long time and there has been lots of arguments and talks about the costs involved in getting the project off the ground,” he said.
“But let me tell the people of West Sepik that like what we did for the landowners of Ok Tedi Mine, and like what we are proposing to do with the renegotiation of the benefits for our people, we will do the same with Frieda River mine project.”