Dredging arrangement is between Fly River, Ok Tedi: Mori
THE Fly River government can talk to the Ok Tedi Mining Ltd (OTML) about any commercial arrangements on dredging to take place at the mouth of the Fly River, says Environment and Conservation Minister Were Mori.
Mori was responding in Parliament yesterday to questions from North Fly MP James Donald on the dredging process at the mouth of the Fly River to remove sediments of mine waste.
“If there is going to be any commercial indications, that is something the Western government can take up with the management of Ok Tedi which is covered under the Ok Tedi supplementary agreement.”
Mori said there was no law preventing anyone who wished to conduct alluvial mining from applying for a licence with the Mineral Resource Authority.
He said the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority should be taking charge of cleaning the environment affected by miming operations.
On whether a feasibility study was needed to conduct dredging and use the sediments for commercial purposes, Mori said the onus was on the company conducting the dredging and OTML.
A company called Hong Kong Finance Commercial Group Ltd will conduct dredging and ship sediments to Hong Kong at no cost.
Similar cleaning processes will be done in other river systems affected by mine waste.
It is understood the Ok Tedi spends K273.3 million annually on its dredging operation at Bige.
One thought on “Dredging arrangement is between Fly River, Ok Tedi: Mori”
Mori full of bullshit – if the arrangement was Fly River Provincial Govt – why would James Donald be asking questions with regard to this arrangement (he should be well aware of it given its in his electorate). You and CEPA decided to engage this foreign company to do dredging without consulting the Fly River Government and the local landowners and now you’re trying to disassociate yourself that the arrangement was between FRPG and OTML…Did CEPA just woke up from its slumber and started thinking about cleaning the environment affected by mining operations?? we are tired of your lies!
You say “if there is going to be any commercial indication, the FRPG can take up with OTML – this statement is an indication the FRPG was not consulted before you made the announcement. Why would you go ahead and make the announcement when commercial arrangements from dredging operations at the mouth of the Fly River between FRPG and OTML was not done? Some ministers in government think they can make public announcements and bulldoze things through without following due processes.
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