It is not how you start the race that determines success, but how you finish it.
Prime Minister James Marape made this opening statement when delivering his speech at the grand opening of the Nadzab Tomodachi International Airport in Lae, Morobe Province, yesterday afternoon.
Nadzab, in the Wampar LLG of Huon Gulf district, in Morobe Province, was bustling as early as 6am, with sponsors, singsing groups, contractors and volunteers getting ready for the grand opening of the K692 million Nadzab Tomodachi International Airport.
The Nadzab Airport Redevelopment Project is jointly funded by the Japanese Overseas Development concessional loan and the Government of Papua New Guinea through budgetary allocation.
Marape said the concept of a redeveloped Nadzab was put together in 2005, then he was elected into Parliament in 2007, where he held the portfolio of vice-minister for transport and civil aviation.
“Mr Joe Kintau was there as the managing director for the National Airports Corporation, Mr Roy Mumu was there as secretary for transport – these were all those moments in which the first concept of Nadzab was put in place many, many years later. In fact, over 15 years later, we are sitting at the cusp of opening a brand new, world-class facility.
“This is an airport befitting the 70 percent of this country’s economy carried out of Lae, carried through the Highlands Highway infrastructure, carried through the Momase infrastructures and the ocean of the New Guinea Islands that fits into Lae; you carry this country’s economy not by 20, 30, 40 percent but close to 70 percent.
“You deserve this and even better, I just want to thank the taxpayers, the business community here in Morobe, the business community in Madang, Ramu Valley, Markham Valley and right up into the highlands. This your facility.”
PM Marape said Nadzab will be PNG’s second international gateway, with the construction of a new passenger terminal building, fire station, the widening and strengthening of existing runway, taxiways, apron and road to accept larger aircraft, such as Boeing’s wide-body B777-200.
The Nadzab Airport Redevelopment Project (NARP) was initiated in 2015 through the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s Official Development Assistance Loan for K692 million. With today’s exchange rate, the amount would be K750 million.
Marape gave the assurance that his government is not reckless, adding, ‘you have to borrow to grow the economy’.
“It has a 10-year grace period, meaning you don’t repay when you secure the loan,” he explained. “This loan was secured in 2015. You don’t repay until after 10 years. It has a .01 percent interest payment, and you’ll repay it for 40 years.
“I want to announce that our government put in counterpart funding to this project close to the tune of – we already paid K29 million – we have K84 million yet to go.”
The Prime Minister then unveiled a plaque signalling friendship and cooperation between Japan and PNG, then a Japanese ‘sake barrel ceremony’, or ‘kagami-biraki’, was conducted, representing an opening to harmony and good fortune.