More N.Z. aid for airport

Press, 5 August 1985, Page 4

More N.Z. aid for airport

NZPA Apia New Zealand has agreed to provide up to a further $BOO,OOO for electrical and navigational equipment at Western Samoa’s Faleolo Airport. The extra aid was offered at the week-end by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, after his Samoan counterpart, Tofilau Eti, asked for increased funds totalling up to $4.7 million for the airport. A communique issued after talks, held at the Vaisala beach hotel on the island of Savaii, reported that Tofilau Eti thanked Mr

Lange for $1.2 million New Zealand had already contributed to electrical work at the airport. But he also emphasised the importance of tourism to Western Samoa and, after outlining the extra costs caused on the extension project by a currency devaluation and construction delays, asked how much extra money New Zealand might be able to provide. Mr Lange agreed that New Zealand would finance additional electrical and navigational work, up to $BOO,OOO. He said his Government would look at further assistance but noted

that’ New Zealand was already committed to a total of $6.5 million in aid for Western Samoa this financial year. After the official talks, Mr Lange told NZPA that one of the proposals made by the Tofilau Government had involved the spending of up to another $4.7 million and a further extension of the runway.

New Zealand officials in Apia said there was no figure available for the total cost of the airport improvements. However, one of the leaders of the coalition of Opposition members of Parliament ranged against

Tofilau Eti’s Government, Tupuola Efi, later told NZPA that $26 million had so far been spent on the project. According to New Zealand officials, the airport extensions include the addition of 1200 metres of runway to the existing 1500 metres, and the reconstruction of the present runway to raise its level a metre.

New Zealand companies doing the work include Kaipara Excavators, of Pukekohe; Fulton Hogan, of Green Island, Dunedin; and Green and McCahill Contractors, and Lendich, both of Auckland.