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Re: PNG warbirds

Posted by john parker on Thu Jun 19, 2003 06:24:38 PM

In reply top PNG warbirds posted by Pat Carry on Thu Jun 19, 2003 09:51:12 AM

: With all the warbirds being removed from PNG of late, has
: the government there become more tolerant/open to that?
: For a long while wasnt it their policy to restrict the rem
: oval of these planes? What has changed? Also, what if an
: ything is in store for the "Swamp Ghost"?

PNG is a very dangerous place - I think one of the most dangerous places in the world at present - if you don't know what you are doing. The Government there is losing the plot in a big way so it is not that policy is changing but rather that enforcability is an issue.
As the economy and infrastructure deteroiates the level of protection of relics also decreases. There are reports of increasing dissaperance of aviation relics as locals scrap what is left to raise a little money.

In this climate any recoveries that occur are great news and save what would otherwise be lost. Most of the people that I know that are recovering material are very scruplous and deal as far as possible in a professional manner with the locals however issues such as ownership and title are often very clouded as is the nature and culture of the people there.

In short I would not overly question or try to unravel what is occuring so long as no harm is being done nor do I think it would in any way be productive. I think we should all be very happy that there are a group of very brave and adventureous souls who undertake this work and we will have this precious material that would otherwise be lost

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