AIR SERVICE AGREEMENTS “UNFAIR & UNJUST”: MATTHEW WALE

Honourable Matthew Wale. Photo credit: Solomon Islands Parliament.

The Member of Parliament for Aoke Langa Langa has described the Air Service Agreements signed by Solomon Islands with Papua New Guinea and Fiji as “unfair and unjust”.

Matthew Wale told Parliament the agreements dishonour the basic principal of reciprocity that under girds aviation throughout the world and in the region.

“Mr Speaker the Air Service Agreements between us and Fiji and between us and Papua New Guinea are so unfair and unjust. The basic principal of reciprocity that undergirds the Aviation sector throughout the world and certainly in our region was not honoured by these agreements.”

The Member of Parliament said while the Government is not to be blamed, such agreements returns the country to when Solomon Airlines did not have an international aircraft.

“This is not a blame on the government either. These agreements have taken us back to when we were still without an international aircraft and therefore, we gave away these rights under perhaps the assumption that we will always need these other countries’ carriers to provide us with international aviation services.”