Preparing for the boom

W- ith the dawn of the new mil lennium nearly on our hori zons, people all over the Pacific are trying in their own little ways to prepare for it. And as activities and pro grammes are thought out to herald the new century and the next thousand years, as well as what might be a record number of tourists, there are other organisations working on ensuring the infrastructure is in place to cater for increased visitor arrivals.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji, which is putting its two international air ports through major upgrading works, is preparing itself for this increase. CAAF chief executive lone Koroitamana said upgrading works included extensions to airport terminals at Nadi and Nausori and maintenance of runways.

“At Nadi, we are going to carry out ***cyclic maintenance on the runway outlay so we will have two runways,”

Koroitamana said. “Airports worldwide have more than one runway. This is a good thing because if one runway is blocked for some reason, there will always be a second one.

“Besides, there is going to be an increase in traffic flow in the years to

come and a second will always be use ful.”

Also among CAAF’s projects, is an extension to the domestic parking apron at Nadi. “This area is getting very con gested and travel is growing at a faster rate than forecast, and this is giving prob lems on the parking side. Of course, then we are looking at extending the present runway into the sea but the decision on this hasn’t been made.

“We have completed a feasibility study and are in the process of carrying out an environmental impact survey.

CAAF is looking at what the base is going to be made of, the depth, currents and ways of carrying out the construction without interfering with the coastline.”

The decision to extend the runway towards the sea was made because extending it in other directions is impos sible. “There is a very big village further south so we cannot go that way and the only option we have left is the sea. The area around the airport is becoming heav ily populated and noise is an issue, so we have to keep in mind these things when going for the extension; and moving towards the sea would mean the least noise.” Koroitamana added that the new runway would be very attractive.

He said CAAF had to make sure it

would be ready within the next couple of years as more and more people travel to the south.

“Traffic is growing now and by 1999 and the Year 2000, traffic will be concen trated in the south because of the America’s Cup, the Sydney Olympics and, of course, the new millennium. So, we are going to be very busy.”

Other upgrading works include reno vations and extensions to terminal build ings to make space for the large number of people expected, as well as space for other commercial activities, such as air

port shops.

At Nausori, upgrading work is being carried out in three phases. The first phase is complete with the extension of part of the terminal area. The second and third phases will be the extension and widening of the runway to meet the demands of the large planes currently landing there.

“This is also to cater for the further

growth which we anticipate.”

Koroitamana is confident that even after these major events are over, the interest in the Pacific is going to continue, meaning people are still going to come here, maybe even more than now.

“It is definitely going to happen and we have to be prepared for it in the best way possible.” ■

Spreading its wings... major upgrading works are in store for the international airport at Nadi, Fiji