Concerns over late withdrawal

National, Normal
Source:

By JAYNE SAFIHAO

JUSTICE David Cannings is clearly not impressed with the three plaintiffs constituting proceedings against the Ramu NiCo (MCC) company and pulling out at the eleventh hour last week.
He made this known when lifting the interim injunction on the deep sea tailings placement (DSTP) system construction at the Ramu NiCo Basamuk refinery brought about by Rai Coast landowners Farina Siga, Peter Sel and Eddie Tarsie.
Cannings said he hoped others would not use their example as a precedent in withdrawing their court litigation days before the Sept 20 hearing.
“This is a very late application and the court has been greatly inconvenienced by it.
“Eight sitting days were set aside for the trial. Other important cases have been pushed aside to make way for this case.
“A considerable amount of court time has been devoted to preparing for the trial.”
He noted that the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal were unusual, special, exceptional and to a degree suspicious.
Cannings hoped that in future this kind of practice would not occur “out of habit”.
After lifting the March interim injunction last Friday, the judge heard a motion by Tiffany Nonggorr of Nonggorr William Lawyers to have an urgent ex- parte hearing where motions by her client Louis Medaing and other environmental concerns raised in the current proceedings could be presented.
Nonggorr argued that it should be heard ex- parte as all parties to the proceedings had “all left, not even caring to stay back”.
Cannings allowed for the hearing at 1pm on Friday.