Editorial: James Marape has to remove incompetence and fix the chronic flight delays now

Travelers in Papua New Guinea have to endure another day of inexcusable flight delays.

Always there are vague explanations as to why planes cannot come. Ground staff do not seem to know. By the way, what are “operational requirements”they keep stating?

Our call to the Prime Minister is this: If there is incompetence, remove the incompetence.

The situation has become far worse than it was 10 years ago. A wasted decade.

As Prime Minister, James Marape doesn’t have to endure the proverbial ‘diwai kros’ of flight delays that us common folk have to bear. Of course, he has the big of running the country. He has PM’s Kumul balus that takes him places. But if the PM and his cabinet are able to travel with efficiency, we want the same too.

We demand the same efficiency.

If the PM is able to travel to Korea and back without delays, we demand the same for domestic travel.

Air Niugini is a state owned entity. The government cannot continue to blame legacy issues and allow this problem to continue. If we continue to blame legacy issues and and waste another decade, then the incompetence at cabinet level needs to be ended by by James Marape.

In other countries, flight delays are unforgivable.

Flight delays affect the economy. SMEs spend money on extended stays. Companies cancel meetings and delay contract signings because of delays. Tourists are unsure about making tightly scheduled trips. There are huge multiplying effects on the PNG economy.

Our call? Sack the board (if this is needed) Sack the management. change the minister, initiate reforms…whatever, we don’t care.

Just do something!

There is no use maintaining political security and party numbers if you are going to waste the second half of the decade blaming legacy issues.