The Marshall Islands is asking the United States for 20 million US dollars to repave the runway of Majuro's international airport .... work that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration says is essential for the airport to remain in operation.
Because the runway surface is deteriorating ground staff are sweeping the runway twice a week and checking it daily to remove small rocks that could be swept up into a jet engine .
A team of New Zealand engineers has started a preliminary survey of the runway.
Marshall islands compact negotiator, Robert Muller says the repaving work is the most urgent infrastructure project in the country.
