Protect environment: MP

GOILALA MP William Samb wants to see the protection of the environment guaranteed first before any mining is done.
“We must protect our people and our environment,” he said.
This was the message the district wanted to relay to any interested party planning to take over the Tolukuma mine in the district.
Samb told Parliament during a debate on the slurry spill near the Ramu nickel mine in Madang that it should be of serious concern because it affected people’s lives.
He said if such serious damage to the environment occurred, the Government must take immediate action to protect the people.
Samb accused mine safety officers of doing nothing to address pollution at Ramu saying, “just like their friends at the Conservation Environment Protection Authority.”
“We are our own enemies,” he said.
“We must follow the laws and do things right.
“The Government must direct an independent study into the environmental damage in Madang.
“We have the experiences of Ok Tedi and also in Porgera. The damage into the environment by the Porgera mine is unknown.
“The waste from Porgera is being dumped into the Strickland River.”
Samb said the Tolukuma mine in his district had damaged the environment as indicated by the presence of toxic material in vanilla beans and the damage to the rivers in Central.