Ruing vouches for air safety

CIVIL Aviation Minister Puri Ruing has assured travellers of air safety standards in Papua New Guinea.
He was launching PNG Air Services’ five-year plan 2011-15 on Monday.
“In this regard, the government must be committed to support and promote a healthy civil aviation sector; must facilitate access to the air transport network by the mass population; and ensure the safe and smooth flow of aircraft, passengers and cargo within the civil aviation system for the economic and social development of PNG,” Ruing said.
“To enable the delivery of modern civil aviation  services, the government has established a sound legislative and regulatory framework for civil aviation that provides state aviation entities to carry out regulatory and service provision within the aviation sector, in a more efficient and effective manner meeting government policy and directives.
“PNG Air Services Ltd (PNGASL) is one such company which started operations on Jan 1, 2008.
“The challenge, however, is that PNGASL provides the required services using facilities inherited from the former Civil Aviation Authority, majority of which are obsolete.”
Ruing said: “The programme will attract a capital investment of US$95 million
(K202.18 million) and the government must ensure sufficient funds are allocated.”
Ruing said US$20 million (K42.55 million) had been provided by the Asian Development Bank while AusAID had provided funding under the transport sector support programme and memorandum of understanding projects to help PNGASL.