Govt promises more air traffic controllers

GOVERNMENT has lashed out at the Namibian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (Namatca) who last week told the media that the country’s air safety could be jeopardised because of poor working conditions.

Minister of Works, Transport and Communication Moses Amweelo said yesterday that his Ministry was going all out to fill vacancies in the Directorate of Civil Aviation so as to alleviate current pressures placed on air traffic controllers. “We deplore the direction taken by the supposedly responsible representative body of the air traffic controllers”, Amweelo told the media in Windhoek yesterday.Last week, Namatca said its members were frustrated by under-staffing and the lack of latest avionics systems to alleviate their work pressures.Amweelo said the matter was being addressed internally following a submission by the association last month to discuss their concerns.”We are acutely aware of the crucial role that is played by these important officials in ensuring a safe Namibian sky and we are doing our best to recruit, train, equip and improve the working conditions of officials,” said the Minister.Amweelo added that the Office of the Prime Minister had agreed to lift the ban on new appointments in the aviation sector, a ban that had been placed on the entire civil service as a cost-cutting measure.”This Ministry is therefore convinced that sufficient and suitably qualified air traffic controllers will as a matter of urgency be recruited to address the acute staff shortage at the Directorate of Civil Aviation,” Amweelo said.This included filling the post of the Civil Aviation Deputy Director following the resignation of expatriate Larry Makanza.Civil Aviation Director Bethuel Mujetenga said the posts of two inspectors – one for the transport of dangerous goods and the other to supervise operator activities would also be filled within the next month.Despite complaints of poor salaries and local staff being poached to take up better positions elsewhere, Amweelo claimed that Namibian air traffic controllers were still among the top three best paid in Africa after South Africa and Botswana.He said Government was willing to negotiate with recognised unions for better salaries for air traffic controllers.But the Minister ruled out the possibility of installing radar at the Hosea Kutako International Airport soon – another major concern of the country’s air traffic controllers.He said that his Ministry was working according to a stringent plan of upgrading the country’s aerodromes and cited lack of funds as an obstacle to acquiring radar in the immediate future.The equipment is said to cost at least N$300 million.According to the Minister, state-of-the art aviation equipment had already been installed at the country’s biggest airport during April and Windhoek’s Eros Airport was also due for an equipment-upgrade soon.Investigations into two mid-air collisions over Namibian airspace in recent years indicated that these could have been avoided if Hosea Kutako International Airport had been fitted with radar equipment.In 2002, the International Air Transport Association listed Namibian airspace as critically deficient because of under-staffing and a lack of adequate surveillance equipment.Amweelo added that a Bill had already been drafted to establish the Civil Aviation Authority, which was recommended by a Presidential Commission of Enquiry into the affairs of the Directorate of Civil Aviation in 1997.This legislation, he said, still had be presented to Cabinet for approval before being tabled in Parliament.”We deplore the direction taken by the supposedly responsible representative body of the air traffic controllers”, Amweelo told the media in Windhoek yesterday.Last week, Namatca said its members were frustrated by under-staffing and the lack of latest avionics systems to alleviate their work pressures.Amweelo said the matter was being addressed internally following a submission by the association last month to discuss their concerns.”We are acutely aware of the crucial role that is played by these important officials in ensuring a safe Namibian sky and we are doing our best to recruit, train, equip and improve the working conditions of officials,” said the Minister.Amweelo added that the Office of the Prime Minister had agreed to lift the ban on new appointments in the aviation sector, a ban that had been placed on the entire civil service as a cost-cutting measure.”This Ministry is therefore convinced that sufficient and suitably qualified air traffic controllers will as a matter of urgency be recruited to address the acute staff shortage at the Directorate of Civil Aviation,” Amweelo said.This included filling the post of the Civil Aviation Deputy Director following the resignation of expatriate Larry Makanza.Civil Aviation Director Bethuel Mujetenga said the posts of two inspectors – one for the transport of dangerous goods and the other to supervise operator activities would also be filled within the next month.Despite complaints of poor salaries and local staff being poached to take up better positions elsewhere, Amweelo claimed that Namibian air traffic controllers were still among the top three best paid in Africa after South Africa and Botswana.He said Government was willing to negotiate with recognised unions for better salaries for air traffic controllers.But the Minister ruled out the possibility of installing radar at the Hosea Kutako International Airport soon – another major concern of the country’s air traffic controllers.He said that his Ministry was working according to a stringent plan of upgrading the country’s aerodromes and cited lack of funds as an obstacle to acquiring radar in the immediate future.The equipment is said to cost at least N$300 million.According to the Minister, state-of-the art aviation equipment had already been installed at the country’s biggest airport during April and Windhoek’s Eros Airport was also due for an equipment-upgrade soon.Investigations into two mid-air collisions over Namibian airspace in recent years indicated that these could have been avoided if Hosea Kutako International Airport had been fitted with radar equipment.In 2002, the International Air Transport Association listed Namibian airspace as critically deficient because of under-staffing and a lack of adequate surveillance equipment.Amweelo added that a Bill had already been drafted to establish the Civil Aviation Authority, which was recommended by a Presidential Commission of Enquiry into the affairs of the Directorate of Civil Aviation in 1997.This legislation, he said, still had be presented to Cabinet for approval before being tabled in Parliament.