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Samoan airline deals at centre of Tokelau chopper purchase
By Mackenzie Smith in Auckland, https://asiapacificreport.nz/2017/06/02/samoan-airline-deals-at-centre-of-tokelau-chopper-purchase/
Tokelau’s controversial helicopter buy was part of at least one major Samoan airline deal, along with plans for the establishment of a luxury hotel on the remote New Zealand-administered territory.
In February, then Foreign Minister Murray McCully slammed Tokelau over the purchase of two helicopters that he described as “extravagances”, and later said they represented “a breakdown in Tokelau’s governance”.
David Nicholson, New Zealand’s Administrator for the territory, also imposed restrictions on Tokelau’s capital spending and has since carried out a review into the helicopters which found government officials behind the purchases did not have the authority to make them.
Documents obtained by Asia Pacific Report under the Official Information Act confirm earlier revelations that the helicopters, which will now be sold off, were part of an “interim air service”, with the end goal of establishing runways on Tokelau.
Last October, a Tokelau “senior public servant”, whose name was redacted, advised the NZ Civil Aviation Authority (NZCAA) that Tokelau was exploring a fixed-wing air service between Samoa and Tokelau.
According to the public servant, Polynesian Airlines, which is co-owned by the Samoan government, would be functioning as the service operator, made possible through a “partnership arrangement” with private Samoan tourism company, Grey Investment Group (GIG).
It is unclear whether the public servant is one of the two who were suspended pending an investigation by Tokelau’s government into their role in the helicopter purchases.
Commercial deal
A document from February last year, composed by a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) official, reveals Tokelau’s bilateral team advised MFAT of a proposal made by a hotelier, whose name was redacted, for a commercial deal involving “operating a helicopter service from Apia to Tokelau”.
Its purpose would be to deliver tourists “to a proposed high end hotel in Tokelau”.
The chairman of GIG is Alan Grey, son of famous proprietor Aggie Grey and who holds several senior government and corporate positions in Samoa, including a directorship of Polynesian Airlines.
GIG has an extensive portfolio of investments, including several high end hotels and resorts across the Pacific, and Alan Grey is also chairman of the Samoa Hotel Association.
Polynesian Airlines and GIG have not responded to requests for comment.
The arrangement with Polynesian Airlines was mentioned as early as September in email correspondence between NZCAA and MFAT officials.
It was also described in a January meeting between David Nicholson, several MFAT and NZCAA officials, and Tokelau’s Chief Technical Helicopter Adviser and Financial Adviser.
‘Logistical support’
Polynesian Airlines was “providing logistical support” to Tokelau, “including hangar space and access to fuelling facilities”, according to notes from the meeting.
However, earlier documents reveal Polynesian Airlines was not the only Samoan company that expressed interest in a fixed-wing air service to Tokelau.
In a November email, which had its recipients redacted but includes a “minister”, then High Commissioner to Tuvalu Linda Te Puni said she had “heard about a number of proposals for helicopter services and a seaplane service involving Talofa airways with possibly a Japanese company”.
In another email later that month and this time addressed to multiple NZCAA officials, Te Puni confirmed Tokelau was in discussions with Talofa Airways.
In October, a representative for the airline advised NZCAA of the logistics of future flights to and landings on Tokelau, after NZCAA requested the information so that it could determine the relevant rules for aircraft operation in Tokelau.
Following earlier statements from Ulu-o-Tokelau Siopili Perez and former Foreign Minister Murray McCully that the helicopters would be sold off, a chain of emails starting from late February show those plans are now under way.
A number of discussions between CAA and MFAT officials detailed the logistics of selling or contracting out the two helicopters to recover their initial cost.
March correspondence between NZCAA and MFAT officials revealed Administrator David Nicholson had “been approached” by Hawker Pacific, an Auckland-based aviation provider, with the intention of it acting as a sales agent for the helicopters.
Air Canada partnership to benefit SI travelers
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| FRONT PAGE_Mr. James Howey [L] Business Development Manager Air Canada with Mr. Dwivedi during announcement of new partnership arrangement that will benefit Solomon Islander’s travelling to Canada. |
Solomon Islands nationals traveling to Canada as part of the Foreign worker program or migrating under Permanent Residence nomination program from Guadalcanal Province, will be benefiting from a new partnership arrangement with Air Canada for their travel into Canada.
This partnership benefit will also be extended to any Solomon Islands province that is joining the education and training program offered by Canadian International Training & Education [CITREC].
The proposed route will be from Brisbane, Australia into Vancouver, Canada.
The arrangement becomes effective immediately and offers convenient travel for Solomon Islands nationals.
Air Canada is pleased to be able to support the Guadalcanal Province CITREC Graduates of the Solomon Islands and their Foreign Worker Migration program to Canada via Brisbane, Australia gateway which offers nonstop service to Vancouver and easy connections to the rest of Canada,” said Kevin Howlett, Senior Vice President Regional Markets & Government Relations.
“And we will soon add another year-round Australian gateway to our network with the addition of direct Melbourne service, adding to our ongoing flights from Sydney and Brisbane.
“With an unparalleled choice of 3 Australian gateways, we are delighted to be welcoming Solomon Island nationals on board Air Canada,” Mr. Howlett said.
Guadalcanal Premier Honourable Anthony Veke has welcomed this opportunity.
“We welcome this opportunity with Canada’s national airline Air Canada and the support this arrangement will be providing to people of my province and other Solomon Islands provinces in the very near future,” Premier Hon. Veke said.
Premier Veke said that Air Canada has embarked on a venture where it is transporting Solomon Islands citizens to new opportunities.
“As Canada’s national airline, Air Canada is flying my people to new heights. New heights of opportunity. It is helping make dreams come true and I thank every staff member and management of Air Canada for this opportunity.
“I look forward to my people from Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands experiencing Canadian hospitality on Air Canada flights very soon as we prepare a pool of people for Canadian job opportunities,” Premier Veke said.
CITREC Chairman Mr. Ashwant Dwivedi has welcomed the partnership saying the Air Canada partnership will help further propel Solomon Islands partnership with Canadian’s.
“This partnership will become a great convenience for people travelling into Canada under the arrangement. Air Canada being Canada’s national airline has united families from across the world for many years.
“Now it is bringing the people of Solomon Islands into Canada. It is demonstrating its global commitment. This is a great achievement for our partnership with Canada and we look forward to growing this opportunity together with Air Canada,” Mr. Dwivedi said.
“There is also cargo opportunity that we can discuss with Air Canada. There is great opportunity that this partnership brings with itself.
“Air Canada has Pacific reach and we can work in partnership with the airline to develop our export of goods and services from Solomon Islands into North America,” Mr. Dwivedi who is also Solomon Islands Hon.Consul General to Canada said.
Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline serving more than 220 airports on six continents. Canada’s flagship carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2017 served close to 48 million customers.
Air Canada is also the first airline to voluntarily join the World Bank’s IMF Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition. Air Canada’s efforts to be environmentally responsible – were recognized recently when Air Transport World named Air Canada Eco-Airline of the Year for 2018, global recognition that the airline says they are very proud of.
Gubernur Minta Operator Penerbangan Siapkan Pilot Orang Asli Papua
- JAYAPURA, – wartaplus – Gubernur Papua, Lukas Enembe SIP.MHmeminta setiap operator penerbangan di Papua membantu satu atau dua Putra Asli Papua untuk bersekolah Pilot. Ini dikatakan Gubernur saat memberikan sambutan dalam Rapat antara Pemerintah Provinsi Papua bersama Operator Penerbangan, di Sasana Karya, kantor Gubernur Dok II Jayapura, Jumat (20/5) siang.
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| Gubernur Papua Lukas Enembe didampingi Ketua DPRP Yunus Wonda dan Plt.Kadis Perhubungan Djuli Mambaya saat membuka rapat bersama operator penerbangan/Foto:Andi Riri |
Selain itu, kata Gubernur, operator penerbangan juga harus menyiapkan kader pilotnya yang merupakan putra asli Papua. Sebab selama ini banyak keluhan dari mereka, terkait karir yang stagnan atau tidak berkembang.”Saya minta operator penerbangan menyiapkan satu atau dua putra asli Papua untuk jadi pilot atau kapten,”pinta Gubernur.
Diungkapkan, keluhan luar biasa datang dari pilot Papua yang bekerja di sejumlah maskapai penerbangan perintis yang melayani penerbangan ke wilayah pedalaman. Mereka sudah terbang sampai 300 jam tapi tidak bisa jadi kapten atau tidak bisa menerbangkan pesawat berbadan lebar . “Harus siapkan kader untuk jadi kapten, kasih mereka tugas. Jangan terjadi seperti dulu lebih 20 tahun jadi pilot tapi karirnya tidak berkembang. Ini kita harus tahu masalahnya apa atau syaratnya untuk menjadi kapten pilot itu apa,” ujar Gubernur Lukas seraya mencontohkan, seperti pilot putra asli Papua yang bertugas di maskapai penerbangan Trigana Air Service maupun MAF.
Sementara itu terkait berbagai peraturan penerbangan yang telah ditetapkan oleh masing masing operator, Gubernur meminta setiap kebijakan yang dibuat itu setidaknya harus sejalan dengan visi misi Gubernur yakni Papua Bangkit Mandiri dan Sejahtera. Artinya, operator penerbangan diharapkan dapat memberikan kontribusi dalam pembangunan dan peningkatan kesejahteraan masyarakat di Papua. “Wilayah ini diatur oleh pemerintah Papua. Jadi setiap operator harus tunduk dan taat terhadap peraturan yang ditetapkan oleh pemerintah daerah,” tegasnya.
Ketua DPRP, Yunus Wonda mengklaim, saat ini ada kurang lebih 78 putra Papua yang menjadi pilot di luar negeri. “Di Trigana memang ada beberapa pilot yang mengeluh, mereka merasa karirnya disitu situ saja. Ini yang harus kita tahu masalahnya dimana. Kalau memang butuh biaya lagi, kami pemerintah punya uang untuk pembiayaan itu,”kata Yunus.
Manager PT Trigana Air Service, Budiono mengungkapkan, saat ini ada lima putra Papua yang bekerja sebagai pilot Trigana, dan dua lainnya sedang mengikuti training untuk jabatan Kapten. [Andi Riri]