Strengthening civil aviation security

Security personnel at Bhutan's international airport in Paro lack training and motivation and their pay does not justify their 'round the clock' job.

These were some of the deficiencies found after a recent security audit by the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Universal Security Audit Programme.
Phala Dorji, the director of the civil aviation department told Kuensel that the security personnel were trained but 'inadequately'.

“As a civil aviation security personnel, one needs to be trained frequently but we cannot do that due to the lack of funds,” he said.

However, the director said that immediately after the report the civil aviation department requested the government for an increased incentive for the security personnel whose grades were then subsequently increased from 16 to 13.

The monthly salary had also been raised to motivate the department's 48 security personnel.

Apart from the deficiencies the audit report revealed that the Paro airport in general had a 'very good security system'. And with the ICAO's Cooperative Aviation Security Programme- Asia Pacific (CASP-AP) mandate to strengthen airport security in the region, aviation security in Bhutan is expected to grow stronger.

CASP took birth after the 9/11 tragedy, to help address the training of security personnel, develop national and airport security plans, share resources and relevant information among its 18 member nations of which Bhutan is one.

According to Phala Dorji, who is also the present Chairman for the CASP-AP, the programme created its funds from contributions made by its member countries. Bhutan contributed US$ 5,000.

The fund was then utilised for conducting various activities like its annual steering committee meetings and for hiring airport security consultants and other security related activities among member nations.

Meanwhile, the third steering committee meeting of the CASP-AP was conducted at Hotel Zhiwaling in Paro from June 20 to 21.

The meet reviewed its past meetings, update on latest aviation security practices and discuss the programme's budget and work plan.

According to Wolfgang H.O. Sander-Fischer, the acting chief of ICAO's Asia and Pacific Programme, the CASP-AP's main objective was to assist its member states and provide a forum for regional aviation security.

In his inaugural speech on June 20 the minister for information and communication, Lyonpo Leki Dorji, said that the aviation security was an important and pressing global issue. “Given our small size and population, we do not have the economic strength to absorb losses that would arise from a major aviation disaster so it is critical that we develop and strengthen our security and safety mechanisms to prevent disasters,” he said.

About 50 delegates from 11 member states of the CASP-AP attended the meet while Japan, Myanmar, India and Pakistan attended as observers.

The Japanese delegation announced that they would join the programme while the Myanmar delegation said that their candidature as a member was being processed with their government.

Kuenselonline