Concerns raised over seabed mining

Letters

I AM not a scientist but let me give my view on the issue of seabed mining.
I first came across this term seabed mining when the Nautilus company came to my high school and talked about it.
One thing that I noted from their presentation was that they stopped us from asking negative questions.
My concern is the seabed mining that is about to take its course in the Bismarck Sea is more or less a trial-and-error to me.
Papua New Guineans, and especially those making a living out of the Bismarck Sea, don’t forget the fact that you will not be directly benefiting from the mining.
The money will mostly go to the Government.
Will it be distributed fairly to you people?
I don’t think so.
Furthermore, we are living in an ecosystem.
Every biotic and abiotic depends on each other.
Even though water is abiotic or a non-living thing, it does not mean it is not useful to the environment.
Let me put it this way: Seabed mining advocates stand that deep down below the sea level, where there is no oxygen, mining minerals will not affect any living thing.
I don’t think God will just place those minerals for nothing unless they have a part to play in the ecosystem. Something for all of us to think about.

Glen Burua
Divine Word University
Madang