PRESIDENT Dr. Jakaya Kikwete has called on air transport stakeholders in the country to maintain their performances into international standard level so that Tanzania should be recognized world widely. The President made the call recently in Dar es Salaam in an occasion for which he was the guest of honour during the inauguration of the new hangar building for Precision Air Company which he has praised the various development initiatives it has shown towards strengthening air transport sector in the country. In his speech, the president reiterated the need for quality standards that should continue to be maintained at international level because local standards are no longer existing and recognized at the global market, and added that this it will bring fame to the country and the company as well. Describing the construction of such a state-of-the- art facility, the President noted that, it is of its kind in the country and thanked the management of the Precision Air Company for such an impressive development and noted that its presence will bring fame in the country. However, he thanked the company for having worked in partnership with a French based ATR company which in the foregoing days will be collaborating together in aircraft repair within the workshop. On seeing such a development, the president remarked that he would advise the ministry of transport to think of the construction of the aircraft engineering training centers, giving an example of the Soroti Pilot School in Uganda which served the purpose during the former East African Community (EAC). However, he noted that, the current EAC leaders have discussed various ways on how to revive its operations in order to produce more air craft engineers to serve within the East Africa regional bloc.
The President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete
He added that it’s high time for the government to recognize the role which is being played by the aviation industry in creating job opportunities and tourism promotion for the development of the country. On his part, the Chair person of the Board of the Precision Air, Michael Shirima has called upon the government to review the existing aviation laws which according to him do not give freedom to would be investors in the country. “Tanzania is unfortunately marked as an expensive destination by airline thus reducing the potential to create our own hub in Dar es Salaam” he said adding that, the situation must be reversed in order to pave ways for smoother investments” he said. He is on the view of the fact that the government should quickly eliminate the unnecessary regulations that choke business and render the activities ineffective for the development of the people in the country. However, he noted that, there is a need to liberalize all services totally because the challenges that the stakeholders faces are rather conducive and rather expensive to easily afford. Shirima has also urged the government to invest in the Precision Air Company by buying its shares in order to increase their capital investment to enhance its growth and make it possible to operate sooner to international routes. He noted this and gave an example of the Kenya Airways which he noted that the Kenya government has bought its shares up to 26 percent. About the just inaugural hangar he noted that, it will reduce the costs whereby the Precision Air used to spend when sending its planes outside the country, therefore, it will reduce unnecessary spending on foreign exchange. Apart from providing such services, the hangar will serve as a training ground for internship graduate students pursuing aircraft engineering courses at various higher learning institutions in the country. According to Shirima, air transport is a vital engine for the developments in any country, and therefore the few aviation professionals in Tanzania must be sought to contribute ideas on the way to rid off the stumbling blocks in building a strong progressive and sustainable air transport industry which Tanzania is capable of achieving.
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