Two airports to be fixed in K41m deal

By PETER ESILA
CONTRACTS worth K41 million were signed by the National Airports Corporation (NAC) and contractors yesterday for the upgrade of the Southern Highlands’ Mendi Airport and the fencing of East New Britain’s Tokua Airport.
Minister for Civil Aviation Alfred Manase said a K27.7 million contract was signed by China’s Sinohydro Corporation for a new terminal building, aircraft pavement strengthening and associated works at Mendi Airport and a K13.3 million contract was signed by Kokopo-based G-Man Construction Ltd for the fencing of Tokua.
Manase said such infrastructure improvements were key to any country’s economic and social development.
“Such investments will make it easy for our people to venture into tourism, agriculture and other opportunities leading to social and economic growth,” he said.
Mendi MP and Works Minister Michael Nali and Governor William Powi thanked NAC, Asian Development Bank, contractors and partners.
Powi said at such a time when the province was trying to recover from the recent earthquake, the announcement was a right step towards the greater rebuilding process.
“Over the last five years, we were talking about rebuilding this airport. My concentration was on building a new airport. Airports like this will bring in opportunities for our people.
“The SHP government wants to partner with an Israeli company to sell our vegetables and we are looking for airports. We go to Mt Hagan all the time.
“This will give us an opportunity for my people to realise the potential for growing vegetables.
“Of course, that will bring benefits to our people and in a way that creates that opportunity for us to develop and make ourselves useful in the community.”
Nali said there was land available on both sides of the airport for future extension work.
Meanwhile, the Government’s 10-year Civil Aviation Development Programme will end late next year.
Manase said the programme valued at K1.6 billion was funded by the Asian Development Bank and GoPNG and aimed at redeveloping the 22 national airports to meet global safety and security standards.