MORE RADAR STATIONS FOR TANZANIA TO IMPROVE MONITORING
It was learned that the presently single radar station in the country in Dar es Salaam will soon be supplemented with new radar equipment to be installed in Mwanza, the countrys lakeside municipality on Lake Victoria, where construction is at an advanced stage according to information received from Dar.
The Minister for Transport Omar Nundu has also announced earlier in the week that a total of 6 more such stations would be constructed across the country to improve air traffic monitoring but also permit for the gathering of weather data which can be used to provide airlines with up to date information while also making the results available to other sectors of the economy.
Tanzania has in recent years embarked on a major programme to refurbish and upgrade aerodromes, secondary airports and the two international airports with the aim of providing better infrastructure for airlines flying to the often remote locations which can otherwise not be reached with ease from Dar es Salaam.
It is part of the East African Communitys commitment to have crucial transport infrastructure, like rail, roads and also air transport ground facilities pushed to the top of the agenda in recognition that excellent infrastructure goes hand in hand with economic development.
In a related development has the aviation conference also ended yesterday in Dar es Salaam with government participants rooting for a strong national airline to support development goals, a demand met with skepticism by private sector participants though who felt that the market should be the deciding factor with open competition deciding the fate of airlines and that constant bailouts by government tilted the playing field in favour of the often weaker party versus a commercially run stronger entity. Repeated a regular source from Dar his earlier sentiments when saying: Instead of pouring money into ATCL, let government buy shares in Precision Air and make it into a strong, viable and well supported quasi national airline. That should be the way forward, not constantly flogging a dead horse which is now covered with flies harsh but true words. Watch this space.
