A prominent leader in the Hoskins local level government (HLLG) area is calling on the LLG president to liaise with authorities and give jobs at the new Hoskins airport terminal to local people.
From Galeoale village, Casper Gelu made this call after the opening of the facilities last Friday (Dec 11).
He said he feared that small contracts like cleaning or operating a kiosk at the terminal might be given to foreigners and “outsiders’’ while the local people would be left out.
“I appeal to the president and members of the Hoskins LLG to take this up with the provincial authorities to write to the NAC (National Airports Corporation) to give the cleaning job and operating a kiosk at the airport terminal to the Hoskins LLG to run and get paid for providing those services.
“The airport is in their territory and it will be very logical for Hoskins to do or provide those services. Our LLGs should start engaging in small or medium contractual projects to make money to sustain them (LLG) and bring services to the people instead of waiting for the National Government’s grant,” Gelu said.
He called on the Hoskins LLG to build guest houses or lodges in the vicinity for tourists and other travellers while waiting for their flights or spending holidays there.
“Hoskins LLG must become self-sustaining to continue providing services to the villages.”
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill officially opened the new Hoskins Airport terminal last Friday.
The airport was built at a cost of K64 million and it was funded by the government of PNG and the Asia Development Bank as the development partner that contracted Covec PNG Ltd to build the terminal.