Fairview Airstrip to be rehabilitated

Georgetown, GINA, June 9, 2016

 

The airstrip at Fairview, an indigenous community within the boundaries of Iwokrama will be rehabilitated.  Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson said that the documents were received, recommendations and review were done by the National Procurement Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) and cabinet has given its no objection to the award of the contract.

Ferguson told the Government Information Agency (GINA), that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure plans to spend part of its $1.26 billion dollar budgeted for hinterland airstrips rehabilitation, to upgrade the airstrip. “The existing length of the airstrip is 790meters in length and its width is 15meters however, when the airstrip is fully completed we would see 20meters in width with 800meters in length”.

Senior Hinterland Engineer, Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Naeem , told GINA that the airstrip which was built in 2007 is now covered with vegetation. He further explained that the scope of works to be carried out on the airstrip would involve massive brush clearing to facilitate better takeoff and landing of  aircrafts.

 

Additionally, the airstrip will have lateritic material for its elevation and polymer stabilized material to improve the strength and durability of the existing lateritic material and reduce air pollution. There will also be a waiting area for passengers.

 

Ferguson said the rehabilitated airstrip will be good for tourism. “Once we have tourists coming into the country they can now visit Iwokarama which would be a tourist attraction,” she said

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure recently embarked on upgrading hinterland airstrips and runways to connect the coastland to the hinterland.

The Ministry has begun the process of establishing a remote monitoring operation known as the Aerodrome Management System (AMS) to allow the monitoring of aerodromes across the country without being physically present at the airstrips.

Kato and Paramakatoi, Baramita, Port Kaituma, Kamarang, Kaikan, Ekereku Bottom, Eterinbang, Bartica, Surama, Karanambo, Annai, Lethem, Aishalton and Mahdia are some of the community airstrips slated for upgrades across the four hinterland Regions of One, Seven, Eight, and Nine.