The runway pavement upgrade at Rotuma Airport has been completed ahead of schedule, according to Fiji Airports Chief Executive Mesake Nawari. He praised the contractors, Flame Tree Development (Fiji) Pte Ltd, for their outstanding work and for enhancing the runway with necessary safety features.
Recently, the Fiji Airports projects team visited the island to oversee the completion of the project and to receive the official handover from the contractors. Nawari emphasized the significance of the runway maintenance for operational efficiency and expressed gratitude to the contractors for finishing the work ahead of time. He also thanked customers and stakeholders for their continued support throughout the two-week maintenance period, noting that bi-weekly flight operations were not affected.
Additionally, Nawari acknowledged the presence of the Rotuma Island Council, the seven chiefs, and traditional owners who attended the completion event. The upgrade at Rotuma Airport included landslip remediation, resealing of the runway shoulders, and upgrading the fencing.
The timeline for the project was developed in consultation with stakeholders before the work began. Earlier this year, Fiji Airports announced a $10 million investment to maintain runway pavements at five out of its 14 outer island stations, including Rotuma, Labasa, Savusavu, Lakeba, and Matei (Taveuni). Nawari stated that this is part of ongoing efforts to maintain outer island airports, reflecting the company’s commitment to managing government-owned facilities.
Furthermore, Fiji Airports intends to continue discussions with the Government for funding to improve facilities at outer island airports and Nausori. The scheduled maintenance work at the five airports is fully financed by Fiji Airports, with Rotuma Airport being one of the 14 airports under its management.
Rotuma Island Council Chairman Gagaj Manav expressed appreciation to Fiji Airports and the contractors for their work on the runway. He stated, “The Council and I are grateful for the work carried out on the island airport runway and to meet the team that is here to work on the airport runway.” Following a brief introduction to airport operations and business, the Rotuma Island Council, along with the seven district chiefs, was given a tour of the runway, apron, and taxiway.