Maintain Oro airstrips: KTA

THE Kokoda Track Authority (KTA) wants the Oro provincial government and the Civil Aviation Authority to give serious attention to the upkeep of the Kokoda airstrip as an international gateway.
A KTA spokesman said no one seemed to care and “we have to take responsibility because of the joint agreement between Australia and PNG to care for the track”.
On Tuesday, KTA and Lohberger Engineering, while raising concerns, told The National that a new Golf Club lawn mower (4-wheeler), donated by Rotary in Australia, would be airlifted to Kokoda and officially handed over to the Kokoda station this weekend.
The freight costs would be met by Lohberger Engineering.
Oro provincial administrator Owen Awaita, when contacted, commended Rotary and KTA and others for their commitment.
He explained that K10,000 per airstrip (currently there are seven operating airstrips) was budgeted annually by the provincial government and paid to established contractors every year to carry out maintenance at the airstrips.