All levels of threat in the aviation industry must be properly assessed before the hosting of the APEC Summit.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority Executive Manager Safety Regulation, Reuben O’Conner, tells Loop PNG that with the convergence of world leaders into PNG, all potential threats and loopholes must be properly assessed and addressed.
“With the APEC coming you can say that you will be having enemies of enemies looking at Papua New Guinea,” said O’Conner.
CASA is currently undergoing a review of the Civil Aviation Rule’s (CARs) which aim to threaten aviation safety and security.
O’Connor says CASA is working to comply with Annex 17 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to ensure International Civil Aviation is safeguarded against ‘acts of unlawful interference.’
Last November, outgoing Chairman of the PNG Aviation Safety Conference, Mark Wheatly, told Loop PNG said the APEC meetiong required specific standards which the country must meet.
“Were looking forward to APEC which is November 2018 (and) there’s going to be some impact on the industry around that PNG.”
“But basically we’re trying to improve aviation safety in PNG be it fixed wing, rotary wing, (and) on the ground,” he said.
Wheatley, who is the Aviation Coordinator for Newcrest Mining says there has been great strides in the aviation safety and there is continuous monitoring of other risks and issues.
Meanwhile the National Joint Security Taskforce (NJST) says it will have complete control over air, land and sea during the APEC Summit in 2018.
PNGDF Chief of Force preparation, Colonel Siale Diro, said this last December to members of the diplomatic corp in Port Moresby.
Colonel Diro said training programs between the PNGDF and the New Zealand, Australian and United States military have progressed well, particularly in the field of counterterrorism and hostage situations.
During the January sitting, Parliament unanimously passed the APEC Safety and Security Joint Taskforce Bill.
The legislation will allow cooperation between PNG and APEC economies, ensuring security requirements are met.
Loop file photo: 2016 PNG Resource Sector Safety Aviation Conference