Publish project benefits

Letters

Can the socio-economic cost and benefit studies of the Frieda Project be published online?
There is always a big price to pay in terms of permanent irreversible environment damage that money cannot buy and fix .
After the Fly River pollution and siltation experience through the giant Ok Tedi mining operation in Western, no government or a reputable company would want to repeat the environment tragedy created by BHP operations unless there is something just beyond the monetary benefits to warrant the mining to take place at the head of a pristine God-given river ecosystem in the northern end of this country.
In my view this is the only justified case for people in the mighty Sepik River system to take the law into their own hands if no one wants to hear their plight to stop the mining.
No science or engineering feat through tailings or whatever man-made dam will ever prevent the river system from pollution if mining takes place.
It is my warning from observing mines around the world to say that the high rainfall density in Papua New Guinea poses a high risk than economically sound and cost effective catchment system to limit pollution and environment degradation.

Observer
Port Moresby