Independence Day honours

Air Niugini chief executive officer Simon Foo has congratulated three airline staff who have been recognised in the Independence Day honours.

They are captain Lekwa Gure, Benedict Oraka and Maree Keygan.

Captain Gure, who flies the airline’s Boeing 767, was awarded Officer of the Order of Logohu for his services to the airline industry for 40 years. He was also recognised for his services to the community, especially church and youth development.

Oraka, who is Air Niugini’s executive manager of maintenance control, was awarded Member of the Order of Logohu for services to aviation and Air Niugini in the areas of aircraft engineering and airworthiness.

Keygan was awarded the Logohu Medal for her services to the travel industry and Air Niugini. She has worked with the airline for 26 years and is currently the manager of airport and cargo services at Cairns airport in Australia.

Meanwhile, Air Niugini staff at the head office in Port Moresby (pictured) celebrated Independence Day on September 16 by wearing the colours of the PNG flag – red, black and gold. ■

Air Niugini’s Paradise lounge at the newly built Kagamuga International Airport in Mount Hagen has won the best commercial interior design award in the 2016 AkzoNobel Taubman’s Design Excellence Awards.

The awards are organised by the PNG Institute of Architects.

The lounge project was won by Tropical Projects, a national architectural company, which was among three finalists in its category.

The others were Merea Haus’ Pineapple Building and TSL shop front at Monian Haus.

Tropical Projects managing director David Gole says that when the lounge space was handed over last year it was an empty shell.

“Various nominated contractors and suppliers were sourced,” he says, “including Pryde Furniture, which provided the built-in furniture, whilst the loose furniture – including dining, pendant lights and the kitchen fit-out equipment – came from Brian Bell.”

Air Niugini chief executive officer Simon Foo congratulated Tropical Projects for a job well done, adding that the airline looks forward to continuing the partnership with the company.

Air Niugini’s lounge at Kagamuga overlooks the airstrip and has views to the Hagen range in the distance. ■