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PNG needs $800m airport upgrade: authority
By PNG correspondent Steve Marshall

Last year an investigative report by the ABC exposed a number of serious deficiencies within Papua New Guinea's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).Now the CAA says it needs nearly $800 million to urgently upgrade several airports around the country or the industry itself will be grounded.

PNG's rugged terrain means aviation is the backbone of the nation's transport system, but now many of the country's runways cannot handle new aircraft like the larger Focker F100s.Nine airports across PNG have been singled out for urgent upgrades at a cost of more than $US500 million.

The Government has known about the need to upgrade for some time, but no money was put aside in this year's budget."Unfortunately I don't have the required funding at this stage," Transport Minister Don Polye said. Mr Polye is instead seeking funds from elsewhere, such as foreign aid donors.Failure to raise the money will see PNG's aviation industry grounded."If we want those airports then we have to pay the price to get them," CAAs CEO Joseph Kintau said."If no then the entire civil aviation system can stop, rather then risking people's lives."Mr Polye agrees with Mr Kintau's assessment.The CAA has a long history of funding problems.Its air crash investigation unit has not been able to carry out full investigations on fatal accidents for the past nine years.