As mentioned in the article on Post Courier today (10th August 2010), Sir Peter Barter is appealing to landowners of Raicoast and also the NGO supporting the landowners to reconsider the current court case in place that is preventing the Ramu Nickel Mine from dumping its waste into the sea. He wants this case to be settled out of court. What Sir Barter fails to see is that the people of Raicoast are not against the mine from operating, they are simply against dumping of waste into the sea. The Ramu Nickel Mine simply needs to look for another option of disposing its waste apart from the sea at Astrolabe Bay. What's so hard about this?
Sir Barter goes on to say that the Ramu Nickel Mine has given a tractor worth K40,000 to the Raicoast High School is a start to more benefits coming. I doubt that more benefits will be coming from the Ramu Nickel Mine. The reason why a tractor has been given to the school is basically because of the current court case. If there wasn't a court case, the story will be different.
As a statesman, Sir Barter should know that donating a tractor worth K40,000, building of schools, health clinics as well as all the other benefits that the company will give to the landowners WILL NOT compensate for the loss of the environment and the lives of the people if the company is going to dump its waste into the sea. You will never ever put money value on the loss of the environment simply because there are some physical benefits that people get from their environment as well as spiritual and cultural connections that people have with the environment. It is very difficult to cost this out.
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