How locals on Lake Murray are reacting as docking stations are put in place for MAF aircraft to land at their waterside communities.
Story by Aquila Matit
In preparation for more flights by MAF’s floatplane, the docking station construction by MAF and Sustainable Development PNG (SDP) staff at Boboa Station is progressing well. These platforms provide an essential link for passengers and cargo getting on and off the aircraft.
Kumin Gera, who lives at Boboa Station on Lake Murray, knows the importance of floating docking stations being installed near his home.
“The docking stations in our communities are built according to the needs of the people,” Kumin said.
“One of the basic needs of the people is transport. These are remote villages on the water without an airstrip. It is so difficult for them to travel to and from Boboa station, by canoe it would take days and even weeks. For emergencies it is very difficult, so people are facing death.”
The progress around landing sites has Kumin looking forward with optimism to the vital link provided by the MAF-SDP partnership.
“With the floatplane, it will serve the people in their communities, and we are happy because it will come and serve us in Lake Murray from time to time. In terms of education and health, the locals will use the floatplane for emergencies and for students to get to and from school instead of spending days in a canoe,” he added.
“The only thing that matters is communication. As soon as we call the MAF base in Hagen, the floatplane will pick up someone who is injured or has an emergency here.”
Now we are moving on to the second round, building five floating docks for another five villages
Recently, five docking stations have been built to serve the villages, which are accessible only by floatplane.
Lake Murray Project Site Manager for MAF and SDP, local resident Jerom Bariga, gave an update on the docking stations.
“We have about 16 communities throughout the Lake Murray area. So far, we have built five floating docks for the first round,” he said.
“Now we are moving on to the second round, building five floating docks for another five villages. This time we are giving priority to villages that are far from the Boboa station. For all the places where the docking stations are finished, the floatplane has already completed the test runs and is in operation.”
For Kumin, the completion of the floating dock at his village changes everything.
“We now have a floating dock and the MAF floatplane has just landed right in our community. We will now be travelling from our village to places like Kiunga. My family and I are very happy, and we are looking forward to using the floatplane,” said Kumin.
Terry Fahey lives at Lake Murray and is overseeing the construction of the docking stations for MAF. He describes the difficult process of building in isolated communities.
“We find empty fuel drums, import used tyres, use a portable sawmill to cut the timbers, transport the timbers in canoes from the jungle to the site, assemble the dock, build concrete anchors, transport the dock to the community (push or pull), throw the anchors into the water at the site, swim down to the bottom and wrap a steel cable through the anchors and secure the dock, so it is a process,” he said.
Terry also said, it is what the people need, and it is a proof in their commitment towards these projects.
“Self-empowerment, is what locals need and is what they have shown and because of this they see change.”
The float plane services are a joint initiative of SDP and MAF for Western Province.
Watch the inspirational float plane video below and read more about the floatplane HERE.