Morobe backs landowners’ rejection of sea disposal

By JIMMY KALEBE
and GLORIA BAUAI
THE Morobe government is supporting landowners in their opposition to the Wafi-Golpu project deep sea tailings placement proposed disposal (DSTP) method.
During a forum in Lae yesterday, Governor Ginson Saonu highlighted reasons for the stand:

•  the pipeline at Wagang is unlikely to achieve what the project proponent said it will;
•  people along the Huon peninsula depend on the sea; and,
•  terrestrial storage will hold recycling value of the tailings estimated at around 30 percent which may otherwise be completely wasted.
  Saonu said Morobe at this stage preferred the terrestrial storage facility tailings dam.
  “Babuaf landowners and others are preparing to offer between 1,000 to 5,000 hectares of lands to make it a success,” he said.
  “I urge the developer and State not to dismiss this possibility.”
  The meeting was attended by engineers and scientists who provided scientific evidence on why the DSTP should be rejected and the terrestrial storage facility tailing dam be accepted.
  He said the manner in which the memorandum of understanding was conceived and executed by the previous government must never be repeated.
  “Between November 2018 and February 2020, the provincial government was engaged in a lengthy court battle regarding an MOU between the State and developer which as we all know was devoid of any form of consultation.”
  Evangelical Lutheran church head bishop Rev Jack Urame said careful consideration should be taken before the Wafi-Golpu mining project could use the deep sea tailings placement.
  Rev Urame said there were many uncertainties regarding the use of DSTP.
  “It has not provide that expected solution in the world and Huon Gulf as a disposal area is no different,” Urame said.
  He called on the Government to review the environment and mining legislations and make adjustments to how we manage mining wastes.
  On Wednesday, people from the special mining lease area along the pipeline corridor and those at the DSTP area said they would not accept DSTP as a mining waste disposal for Wafi-Golpu.