Caption: (L) Link
PNG Acting CEO Marco McConnel receiving the cheque from Governor Ipatas with
Air Niugini General Manager for Marketing, Dominic Kaumu.
By MATTHEW VARI
Sunday, February 28, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)
ENGA Governor, Sir Peter Ipatas, has stayed true to his 14 year commitment to subsidizing flights into his province by meeting his 2015 obligation of K700,000 to Air Niugini subsidiary, Link PNG on Wednesday.
The cheque presentation brings the total subsidy for the 2015 year ending to K1 million for 7 flights a week into the province.
Link PNG Acting CEO Mr Marco McConnell, said that the payment marked another milestone for Enga and Air Niugini, the mother company, in providing air services.
“The partnership between Enga province and Air Niugini goes back many years and we look forward to continue our partnership and giving the best services to the people of Enga province and also the people of Papua New Guinea,” McConnell said.
In presenting the funds, Governor Ipatas said that due to cash flow issues experience towards the backend of 2015, the provincial government were unable to present the remainder of its 2015 commitment.
“But I am pleased to be here today to honour that commitment from last year to make a presentation and let me use this opportunity to thank the parent company Air Niugini and Link PNG for the continues cooperation between Enga Provincial Government, the Enga people, and our national airline in providing this vital service,” Governor Ipatas said.
“This partnership started some 13 to 14 years ago and we have been consistent in honouring our commitment to the airline.”
“We started off as a one flight a week more than decade ago to 7 flights a week today. It has taken us quiet a long time to build up the capacity, but let me say this, the Enga provincial government has stayed focused.”
He said the national airline at some point, as commercial entity, wanted to give up the route but the provincial government was determined to see the vital service continued that is worth the money.
“Every center in PNG needs to connect with the national capital, but let me say this on the outset, is that many people will wonder why we are wasting money on a subsidy when we can have a flight out of Hagen which is two and a half hours to three hours’ drive from Wabag.”
“I want to inform the public that this is an important service to our province because if you look at the economics. If someone had to do an economic analysis of flights into Wapenamanda you will find that the province is actually making money from this service.”
“Saving on fuels costs to Hagen, saving on the spending that is done in Hagen while trying to a flight out of there. Plus a lot of people in Wapenamanda are selling vegetables through small economic activities for those flying out and of course the time it is so convenient for people like me with all the other public servant.”
“So when you are put in the time factor and all these transport costs you will see that the amount of money that we subsidize airfares is justified.”
He said that subsidized fares enable his people to pay the same fares as those traveling to and from the capital from Mt Hagen city in the Western Highlands province.
“This is a service directly helping my small people and not the wealthy people, not for the businessman who has a car and not for those well-off. If some of you have been to Hagan to Wabag, you will appreciate that my people have to travel from Wabag by bus into Hagen town with another from the town to the airport.”
“If the people did not want the service we would not be where we are right now. In fact there are things happening now with more tertiary institutions in the province along with the building of our new hospital this year.”
“We will look at increasing the number of flights per day to a couple a day with the construction of our new hospital.”
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