PM angry over airport closure, warns officials

National Capital District and Central Commander Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Wagambie Jnr (middle) with other senior officers at the Jacksons domestic terminal in Port Moresby on Saturday. – Nationalpics by KENNEDY BANI

By PETER ESILA
PRIME Minister James Marape wants the “sabotaging” of the country’s biggest international airport on Saturday investigated, warning officials to take their “personal” fights elsewhere.
The Jackson airport, which caters for international and domestic flights, was closed after the National Airport Corporation (NAC) issued a Notice to Airmen (Notam) to close the domestic terminal.
The Notam was issued after a group of policemen on Friday night entered the airport to arrest the managing director and chief executive officer Rex Kiponge, who had arrived on a domestic flight.
The Notam was lifted around noon on Saturday.
Marape said: “I want a complete report on this gross negligence, sabotage and abuse of due process by those who are discharged with authority.
“In the context of national security, you cannot stop airport and flights, as this is sabotaging our freedom of movement.
“My appeal to National Airport Corporation staff, and all who support air transport, is not to personalise things.”
He said airports and public institutions “facilitate our economy and well-being of our people”.
“Our international reputation continues to be dented with people playing hide-and-seek with law and abuse of processes.”
Marape directed the national security advisory committee, in a national security council meeting on Saturday, to have the incident investigated.
Kiponge accused the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) “for causing this chaos”.
He said he was returning to Port Moresby on Friday night after a visit to Mt Hagen, Tari in Hela and Wapenamanda in Enga to check on the status of terminal buildings.
“Upon my return at about 7pm, fully-armed policemen numbering up to about 17, unlawfully gained entry into the restricted and sterilised area and arrested me,” Kiponge said.
“I was escorted out of the domestic terminal to the CASA office and detained for three hours.
“CASA director Benedict Oraka in the presence of police officer Joe Puana, interviewed me and charged me for allegations of operating or allowing normal operations into Nadzab and Kiunga airports without an aerodrome operating certificate.”
Kiponge said the issues relating to the operations of Nadzab and Kiunga had been addressed.
“I was then escorted to the Boroko police station where I was detained for one hour before I was bailed for K10,000.”
Kiponge said the Notam had to be issued “in the interest of the travelling public and airline operators for domestic flight operations to conduct full assessment of any contamination”.