Meeting in Tonga today, the council of the Pacific Aviation Safety Office, discussed issues relating to the safety of aviation in its 13 member states and also looked for sustainable ways to finance its operations in the future.

Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation Hon. Samiu Vaipulu opened the one-day meeting this morning. Attending were representatives from PASO's 13 member states of Australia,  Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Donor Agencies including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank were also present.

The Deputy Chairman of the PASO Council, Hoe Viale, said that one of the main issues to be discussed was the financial sustainability of the organisation.

"We need to find a sustainable method of financing our operations. So to have this meeting in Tonga where the World Bank representatives are present, is timely because Tonga is a recipient and the executing agency of its Pacific Aviation Investment Program," he said.

PASO was set up with a loan from the Asian Development Bank and its operation was mainly funded by member states subscriptions along with work that their inspectors undertake in a member countries and charge to operators.

He said this was the first council meeting in Tonga. PASO had proven to be a good model as its primary role set by Pacific Island leaders was for one body to offer regulatory advice in aviation safety and security regulations, at an affordable price. "Before that, Pacific countries outsourced their regulatory work to New Zealand and Australia and it was costly," he said.

PASO was created in June 2005, as a result of the Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty (PICASST) and is managed by a permanent staff based in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

Safety

The Deputy Prime Minister said PASO played an important role in the region because aviation safety could never be comprised.

"The meeting is an important part of the process to develop the capability of the Pacific region to handle its own aviation issues to the highest international standard, at an affordable cost," he said.

Pacific members states had supported PASO's efforts throughout the years. "We must adhere to what it is leading us to and help PASO continue its job in supporting the region," he said.

Tonga

Tonga and the World Bank had signed a US$26 million grant to make air travel safer and more efficient to and from Tonga, through its Pacific Aviation Investment Program.

He expected the project would start next year and include rehabilitation of the terminals at Fua'amotu International Airport and Lupepau'u Airport in Vava'u. Work would include strengthening and extending of runways and setting up fire rescue facilities, he said.

PASO Council initially held a two-day informal meeting from October 29-30, before the main meeting was held today.