Marape: K91.85mil airport upgrade a huge investment

The National Main Stories

PRIME Minister James Marape says the K91.85 million upgrading of the Kavieng airport in New Ireland is one of the biggest investments in the province.
He yesterday attended the ground-breaking ceremony and said the project, to be completed by July 2022, would create an enabling environment for economic development in the province and country.
“I see this airport as an economic investment,” he said.
“New Ireland is a very strategic area for tourism, farming and fishing.
“Money is sleeping in the land and sea.”
He challenged the people to engage in agriculture and small-medium enterprises as it was the Government’s job to create enabling environments for the people.
He said the new airport would bring the world to New Ireland and vice-versa.
Civil Aviation Minister Lekwa Gure said the China Railway Construction Engineering Group Company Ltd was awarded the contract in March.
The National Airport Corporation (NAC) issued a notice of commencement on July 6.
He said the project would include the extension of the runway, design and construction of a new terminal building, car park and access roads, rehabilitation of NAC facilities and construction of staff house and office building, airfield lighting and associated works.
The runway would be strong enough to accommodate the Fokker-100 jet aircraft.
New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan welcomed the commitment of the Government and said it was the first step to “real economic development”.
“This airport will stimulate business and economic activities and build revenue for the grassroots,” he said.

8 comments

  • Good to see PMJP,Sir J,Walter&Treasurer Stuckey come together in new Ireland, for this special event for our New Ireland Province. But on all this big money that is being invested now in this new project, you all have wasted and turn your face back on the main source of land that produce that amount of money either by loan or by government grants. The Lihir Gold Mine ring road, which is not being fully sealed, with good bridges, drains etc….my people are really suffering, and all our local employees, at 4am early morning woke up and go to work, on those hard bumpy,pot holes road and than back from work at 6pm afternoon. you all loose your vision from good to bad by not maintaining the main source of product.

    thankyou,
    MJK

  • We the people of New Ireland welcome the good news and glad to see our good Prime Minister, Hon James Marape came to officiate the ground breaking ceremony for Kavieng Airport Upgrade to International airport standard. We know precisely who funds the project and under whose political will power is this going to happen. It’s the Pangu Party and National Alliance Party team of government came to deliver the world class service and not People’s Progress Party (PPP). In 2022 we don’t want to hear false campaign by any PPP candidate to say Kavieng International airport construction is their project undertaken. We aren’t be blind and deaf to brainwashing us with political sugar coated words.

    Mangi Lamusmus.

  • Where is the money coming from to fund this project…
    Let’s home it’s not from China because US is building it’s forward base next door (Manus).

  • They got the priorities wrong at this stage/time.
    K91.85 million should be used to fund the upgrade/Seal the road from Lamusmus to Namatanai (West Coast Road) and continue to Konoagil LLG because this people are still living in the dark.
    95% of the rural population will not use this airport to lift their standard of living.
    These kongkong politicians are milking this province for far too long and they still get their priorities wrong.
    The state of Kavieng Town including the market should reflect the kind of leadership with the amount of royalties coming in from Lihir and Simberi.

  • West Coast and Southern tip of New Ireland people still risk their lives traveling by sea, for shopping, medical treatment at Nonga, Vunapope, Butuwin and Molot Health Centres in purchase of hardware supplies in East New Britain Province. Why spent such a huge sum of money on the airport. Sir J your people spend nights and days at the Kokopo beachfront under rain and sun. MPs from NIPS come over to to Kokopo beachfront see it for yourself.

    Avarmari

    SL

  • Waigani still refuses to let Kavieng become an International airport.
    Rabaul has volcanic dust problems from time to time. Kavieng does not The northern tip of the island is flat and very suitable for an aviation hub.
    In the past I was on a flight from Singapore and overflew my destination of Kavieng to land in Moresby. There to overnight and pay at an expensive hotel. Up very early to catch my flight to Kavieng but firstly had a landing in Rabaul.

  • Priorities gone wrong again here definitely not at this time. PMJM should know better.

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