By Rayon Lakingu – EMTV News, Port Moresby
Rural Airstrips Agency is a company which works with the government to restore, rehabilitate, and maintain rural airstrips around the country.
Last week, they took a tour to the Western province to visit and inspect rural airstrips in the area, to determine if they are serviceable.
Chief Executive Officer, John Bromley, says Rural Airstrips Agency is committed to working with rural communities, to see them have access to basic services.
On their trip to Western Province, the CEO said the province has lots of floodplains and does not have good road access. The only way to have access to basic services is through air and water transport.
He said there are 74 rural airstrips in Western Province alone and they will look for donors and seek government support, to see Western province develop.
Mr. Bromley said currently, there are 125 rural airstrips in the country, that are on their interest list. Some of these airstrips are already on established maintenance programs. While others, are still under negotiations with local MPs and provincial governments, to come on the maintenance program.
They have successfully completed the maintenance program of the Balimo Airstrip and it will be ready to use, once they release final reports to the airline operators.
