The establishment of a new organization will bethe implementing agency for the 6 million kina government allocation for Rural Airstrips.
The Rural Airstrip Authority will come underthe Civil Aviation Authority.
It will run as a non for profit body, and have representatives fromthe civil society as directors on its board.
An agreement was signed today by directors ofthe board with Civil Aviation Minister, Davis Steven.
The paper signed today signalsthe beginning of maintenance work onthe 2 hundred rural airstrips that are currently in operation.
Minister Steven saidthe government is aware ofthe struggles that operators face and is working on assisting operators by subsidizing some ofthe operational cost.
