Kainantu mine in pathway of Misima

Life after the mines is the utmost goal landowners, who depend entirely on land and environment, should consider.
The regret of Misima people and life after the mine should be a lesson and baseline for landowners who blindly trail mining giants and government for stomach refuelling. In fact, it is our Government and the Mineral Resources Authority’s fault. There is no policy and guidelines on mine closure and rehabilitation phase in the country.
The Government through MRA is only opening doors to outside investments in mining but have not placed stringent management and monitoring tools like mine closure policy.
Kainantu mine was shut surprisingly with no good explanation for landowners and the citizens of PNG to be in tune with.
While closed, Barrick (mine operator) advanced into other exploration lease areas near the closed mine.
MRA, Lands Department and Barrick (HPL) played delaying tactics in awarding landownership title to battling clans while allowing the mine to operate. There are no tangible changes like water supply, aid posts, schools and well maintained road networks in the landowners’ backyard after the mine is closed.
It’s a life threatening experience to consider.

Post Courier Newspaper 15th September 2010

Tomala: Don’t sell land

Source:

By ELLEN TIAMU

LAND in and around the Lae metropolitan area is becoming rare and traditional landowners have been urged to weigh the economical and social implications of their actions before they lease their land.
Morobe administrator Kemasang Tomala said more companies were opening businesses in Lae as well as more in other parts of the province where mining projects are.
He said these business ventures were sure to bring huge economic benefits to the province.
Tomala said local landowners should also be ready to tap into this upsurge in economic times but also weigh the benefits of keeping them.
Speaking at Buhalu village in the Nawaeb district on Monday, Tomala urged local landowners to look after their land and not sell them unnecessarily.
Much land around the city had been leased out to settlers from other provinces and had become breeding grounds for criminal and criminal activities because many who lived there were unemployed.
Tomala said some landowners, out for a fast buck, lease out blocks of land to anyone and in turn were unable to control the problems caused by the settlements.
He also urged the locals to retain some land for their children’s use in future.
Some major business projects coming up in Morobe are the K6 million Markham oil palm project and the establishment of two more fish processing canneries in Lae.
The discoveries of more gold in Wau and Bulolo would also extend the life of the mine by another 20 years while gold and copper found at Timini and Wafi has a life span of 30 years.

The National Newspaper 15 September2010

Lihir still the same

Lihir Island is one of those recognized islands in the world market. Millions are coming out of the island but the island itself hasn’t developed, especially the town, roads, bridges and the wharf. The Lihirians are still living in bush material houses. Handing and taking over of these three mining companies: LMC,LGL and Newcrest Mining Limited. Will there be any changes with this new mining company? Come on Lihirians, don’t be blind, companies come steal and go. So see where you stand and fight for the rights because it will benefit your future generations.

ORIGINAL DUSTY BOBBY – LIHIR ISLAND.

Post Courier 6 September 2010

Misima people regret life after mine closure

Source:

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH

LANDOWNERS of the Misima mine in Milne Bay have called on the government to review their mine closure plan and the memorandum of understanding affecting the closure.
The Eguma special mining lease (SML) landowners also requested that the state honour its mine closure commitment to conduct a socio-economic feasibility study before the end of this year.
Managing director Taulea Mosebi claimed that after Misima Mines Ltd ceased operations, no socio-economic impact study had been conducted.
He said the people’s standard of living had not improved despite the good things that Misima mines brought when it was in operation like well-maintained and supported health, education, transport, electricity and banking services.
Mosebi said apart from the current monitoring of the environment’s rehabilitation, there had been no major economic development on Misima to boost the livelihood of the islanders.
“Our people are struggling.
“No one has made any attempt to find solutions to the problems.
“Since 1989, Misima mine had earned more than K9.9 billion for the state. Yet, after the mine ceased operations, we have rundown buildings, inconsistent power supply and landowner projects initiated during the mine life have not continued,” he said.
Mosebi said Eguma landowners had taken the initiative to spearhead a Misima island project, which is aimed at assessing the island’s social, economical, environmental, cultural and political status.
“We seek to revive the island’s economy and, as such, we have obtained the support of the Milne Bay provincial administration, Department of Agriculture and Livestock and the provincial industry and support services as part of the steering committee,” Mosebi said.

National Newspaper 13 September 2010

Keep it down or ship out

The National Court of Justice is established by the Constitution and the National Court Act provides for the rules of practice and procedure of the Court.
Our judiciary acts in the best interests of this nation, and has been described as the last line of defence. So who are Ramu NiCo to get a paid advert and say they are “extremely disappointed” with the decision of the National Court which refused to lift the injunction preventing Ramu NiCo from constructing the offshore component of the projects tailings placement system.
Ramu NiCo, Papua New Guinea is a sovereign nation and we are not ruled by a family, a dictator, nor a foreign company. We have laws that govern our existence and help us develop as a nation.
If you want to appeal the decision, so be it, go ahead, but to blatantly show disappointment and disrespect at the National Court is a slap in the face to justice in PNG.
If you cannot abide and cannot tolerate our laws, go back to China. When the court speaks, PNG speaks so shut up or ship out.

BOP,
Port Moresby

Post Courier 9th September 2010

The Raicoast People Will Be Hit Big Time

The people of Raicoast in Madang Province will be hit in a big way and the situation is NOT looking good. As seen from the Post Courier article of 6th September 2010 titled "Awareness on Marengo Mine," it is NOT ONLY the Ramu Nickel Mine that plans to dump its waste into the Astrolabe Bay but also Marengo. Marengo is a gold mine and its production site is 5 minutes flight from Krumbukare where the Ramu Nickel will do its extraction. There is going to be a total disaster for the Raicoast people if both mines go into full scale operation and start to dispose waste into the sea.
On top of that, there is going to be the operation of seabed mining by Nautilus Ltd off-shore from Madang. The leaders of Madang must be crazy to allow these to happen. It seems they are either blinded by money or controlled by outsiders.

We know that the government is pushing all these projects without even thinking about the negative consequences but where are the churches? They suppose to keep the government accountable and ensure that justice prevails? What kind of justice are they preaching?

The people of Madang including the Tourism and the Tuna Industries will be badly affected if things go as planned.

The people of Raicoast in Madang Province have to really weigh things out carefully. The moment they choose to allow their sea to be used as a dump site, there goes their lives and the lives of those yet to be born.

Haven't they learned from Bougainville, Ok Tedi and Porgera?