In early February this year, three rural airstrips in the Milne Province were issued a Notice to Airmen or NOTAM for the suspension of use over their failure to meet certificate requirements for Aerodrome Operating Certificates.
The notice was issued by state aviation entity, NiuSky Pacific Limited.
The affected aerodromes include Losuia, Guasopa and Misima.
In response to this notice, the Member for Samarai-Murua Open Electorate, Isi Henry Leonard made known his intentions for his office to take on the provincial government’s responsibility of ensuring the Misima aerodrome remains fully operational.
The member emphasized his decision by stating that he is aware that production at Lihir Gold Mine drops by twenty-five percent when workers engaged by Newcrest from Misima do not go to work.
On Thursday March 9, MP Leonard said dialogue has taken place between him and Lihir Gold Mine’s Country Manager Stanley Komunt, regarding funding support through the Tax Credit Scheme for the long-term maintenance of the Misima rural airstrip.
Leonard says the meeting had positive outcomes and is now in the process of awaiting feedback from letters he sent to Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Rainbo Paita, Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey and Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation Walter Schnaubelt.
This letter will also be delivered to Lihir’s Country Manager and the Chamber of Mines and Petroleum.
“We discussed about funding and they (Lihir Gold Mine) said they have no problem with that.
“Funding can be sought under that arrangement through tax credit scheme where Lihir Gold Mine can portion some of that tax credit scheme to help develop the Misima airport,” said MP Leonard.
According to the bill of quantities produced by China Railways after a scope of the airstrip, Leonard says the cost to fully upgrade the airstrip complete with modern facilities and sealing of the runway to cater for larger aircrafts is K74 million.
Leonard says his district will put forth K5 million from the district’s infrastructure funding arrangement. The National government will then counter fund with an additional K5 million, making that K10 million in total.
“That K10 million we can now use it to start doing the preliminary preparations for the airport and as soon as additional funds are available then we can now seal the airport,” said Leonard.