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Trump’s deputy chooses FIFO base for summit

DONALD Trump’s right-hand man Mike Pence is on his way to Cairns.

The US Vice President is tipped to be staying in Cairns next month during the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Papua New Guinea for security reasons.

Instead of spending two nights in Port Moresby, Mr Pence and his security entourage will be staying in Cairns, probably at the Hilton Cairns hotel and his Air Force Two jet will be parked at the Cairns Airport. He is one of dozens of high-level delegates said to be choosing Cairns for their overnight stays, flying to Port Moresby for the APEC daily gatherings.

TRUCKLOADS of Commonwealth Government cars with flag holders mounted on bonnets are en route to Cairns ahead of next month’s APEC summit.

The city’s top hotels have been told to set aside rooms for dozens of world leaders and their entourages staying on Australian soil during the Asia-Pacific meetings in Papua New Guinea.

US Vice President Mike Pence will be the biggest name in town when he arrives on Air Force Two.

The Cairns Post understands he will stay at the Hilton Cairns, due in part to the hotelier’s American allegiances, rather than staying overnight in Port Moresby.

Security concerns about PNG, its limited accommodation resources and proximity have worked in Cairns’ favour.

Port Moresby is ill-equipped to cater for thousands of international delegates and officials at one time.

With major tourist centre Cairns just an hour-and-a-half away by plane, Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said it was always the logical choice.

“I know there will be leaders staying here,” he said.

“I don’t have the details on how many, but there are quite a few COMCARs being freighted up from Canberra.

“They’ve got the flag carrier up front, so that means they are for leaders.

“They don’t send up COMCARs with flagstaffs just for officials.”

Mr Entsch said the vehicles were already on the back of trucks bound for the Far North.

They will be returned to Canberra after the summit, avoiding the controversy that befell the Papua New Guinea Government when it bought 40 Maseratis and three Bent- leys solely for the meeting.

Cairns MP Michael Healy said leaders’ identities and movements were kept under wraps.

“The only thing we do know is there will be very senior world leaders here and Cairns will do very well out of it,” he said.

“I’m hearing a lot of them don’t want to stay (in PNG) primarily because of infrastructure and security.

“Cairns is a very safe destination.”