Grant to Boost Aviation Standards & Expertise
PRESS STATEMENT
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
GRANT TO BOOST AVIATION STANDARDS & EXPERTISE
The Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) has welcomed a grant of US$250,000 from the International Funding Facility for Aviation Safety (IFFAS).
The funds will be used to conduct a legal and technical review of seven member states which have become parties to the Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty (PICASST).
These include the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
Pacific Islands Forum Deputy Secretary General, Peter Forau, says it is of vital importance for regional development initiatives to advance international standards of best practice.
“PASO has an important role to play in boosting the Pacific’s aviation standards and expertise, and the Forum commends IFFAS and its administrative body, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), for helping to reinforce this commitment,” says Mr Forau.
PASO, based in Port Vila, Vanuatu, is an international regional organisation set up under Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty (PICASST), and called for in the Pacific Plan.
“It has also been part of the Pacific Islands Forum Aviation Action Plan for almost ten years, and is strongly supported by the Forum Secretariat, which provides PASO and its Council with on-going technical and administrative assistance.”
PASO General Manager, Capt. Desmond Ross, says this initial review of member states is intended to establish compliance with international aviation law and standards, as defined in the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS).
The review team comprises Capt. Ross, Mr Kim Murray, President of the Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand, Capt. Ron Bartsch, an experienced pilot and aviation regulator from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia, and Mr Max Foon, who is joining PASO after several years as the assistant director, flight safety at the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu.
The review will also determine a two-year work plan for PASO officers in each member country.
“PASO will work with them to ensure that they can successfully pass their bi-annual safety and security oversight audits conducted by ICAO inspectors,” says Capt Ross.
The grant will be administered from the ICAO headquarters based in Montreal, Canada.
Forum Secretariat Transport Sector Adviser, Seiuli Alvin Tuala, says he is greatly encouraged by the work done by PASO and its Council.
“PASO is doing a commendable job of ensuring PASO fulfils its mandate of providing effective and cost-efficient safety oversight services to its members and other Pacific island countries that intend to utilise PASO services,” says Mr Tuala.
“The PASO Council, made up of the heads of Civil Aviation Ministries and departments from around the region, has been instrumental in keeping up the momentum needed to further PASO’s mandate to assist members meet their international obligations as signatories to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.”
Mr Tuala encourages more FICs to become members of PASO in order to build national and regional capacity in the areas of safety oversight audits and inspections.
“This can be accomplished by having, for example, country representatives assist and accompany auditors in their inspections and audits.”
He adds it is important to ensure aviation services are maintained in small Pacific island countries which rely on tourism and aviation linkages for business, trade and social connections.
A comprehensive second phase technical assistance grant funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will follow on from this initial review and be used to finance regulatory and legislative harmonisation and recertification of Pacific Island airlines.
PASO is responsible for overseeing regional aviation safety and security for its member countries. Its core set of responsibilities includes flying operations, airworthiness, security, airports, and personnel licensing for these disciplines.
Current PASO members include Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, New Zealand and Vanuatu.
Associate members of PASO include the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA), the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Forum Secretariat.
Desmond L Ross (Capt.)
General Manager
Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO)
Direct Tel: 678 28501
Reception: 678 28500
Mob: 678 44404
Fax: 678 28555
Email
PASO Website
Seiuli Alvin W. Tuala
Transport Sector Adviser
Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
Private Mail Bag ,Suva, Fiji.
Tel : (679 3312 600/322 0383
Fax : (679) 3312226
E-mail
www.forumsec.org
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
GRANT TO BOOST AVIATION STANDARDS & EXPERTISE
The Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) has welcomed a grant of US$250,000 from the International Funding Facility for Aviation Safety (IFFAS).
The funds will be used to conduct a legal and technical review of seven member states which have become parties to the Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty (PICASST).
These include the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
Pacific Islands Forum Deputy Secretary General, Peter Forau, says it is of vital importance for regional development initiatives to advance international standards of best practice.
“PASO has an important role to play in boosting the Pacific’s aviation standards and expertise, and the Forum commends IFFAS and its administrative body, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), for helping to reinforce this commitment,” says Mr Forau.
PASO, based in Port Vila, Vanuatu, is an international regional organisation set up under Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty (PICASST), and called for in the Pacific Plan.
“It has also been part of the Pacific Islands Forum Aviation Action Plan for almost ten years, and is strongly supported by the Forum Secretariat, which provides PASO and its Council with on-going technical and administrative assistance.”
PASO General Manager, Capt. Desmond Ross, says this initial review of member states is intended to establish compliance with international aviation law and standards, as defined in the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS).
The review team comprises Capt. Ross, Mr Kim Murray, President of the Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand, Capt. Ron Bartsch, an experienced pilot and aviation regulator from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia, and Mr Max Foon, who is joining PASO after several years as the assistant director, flight safety at the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu.
The review will also determine a two-year work plan for PASO officers in each member country.
“PASO will work with them to ensure that they can successfully pass their bi-annual safety and security oversight audits conducted by ICAO inspectors,” says Capt Ross.
The grant will be administered from the ICAO headquarters based in Montreal, Canada.
Forum Secretariat Transport Sector Adviser, Seiuli Alvin Tuala, says he is greatly encouraged by the work done by PASO and its Council.
“PASO is doing a commendable job of ensuring PASO fulfils its mandate of providing effective and cost-efficient safety oversight services to its members and other Pacific island countries that intend to utilise PASO services,” says Mr Tuala.
“The PASO Council, made up of the heads of Civil Aviation Ministries and departments from around the region, has been instrumental in keeping up the momentum needed to further PASO’s mandate to assist members meet their international obligations as signatories to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.”
Mr Tuala encourages more FICs to become members of PASO in order to build national and regional capacity in the areas of safety oversight audits and inspections.
“This can be accomplished by having, for example, country representatives assist and accompany auditors in their inspections and audits.”
He adds it is important to ensure aviation services are maintained in small Pacific island countries which rely on tourism and aviation linkages for business, trade and social connections.
A comprehensive second phase technical assistance grant funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will follow on from this initial review and be used to finance regulatory and legislative harmonisation and recertification of Pacific Island airlines.
PASO is responsible for overseeing regional aviation safety and security for its member countries. Its core set of responsibilities includes flying operations, airworthiness, security, airports, and personnel licensing for these disciplines.
Current PASO members include Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, New Zealand and Vanuatu.
Associate members of PASO include the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA), the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Forum Secretariat.
(Ends)
Desmond L Ross (Capt.)
General Manager
Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO)
Direct Tel: 678 28501
Reception: 678 28500
Mob: 678 44404
Fax: 678 28555
PASO Website
Seiuli Alvin W. Tuala
Transport Sector Adviser
Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
Private Mail Bag ,Suva, Fiji.
Tel : (679 3312 600/322 0383
Fax : (679) 3312226
www.forumsec.org
