Yama urges govt to shut mine

The National Business

MADANG Governor Peter Yama, pictured, has called on the Government to shut down the Ramu nickel mine in Madang as it does not meet international best safety standards.
Yama made the call during debate in parliament in response to a statement by Environment and Conservation Minister Geoffery Kama in relation to the slurry spillage into the seas of Basamuk Bay in the Madang on Aug 23.
Yama claimed statement was misleading as an independent scientific investigation carried out had indicated that the sea around the Ramu Nico refinery was polluted.
He said over the 19 years of operations, the company had made billions but had not been paying its fair share of taxes to the Government and had not changed the lives of the landowners but had negatively impacted the environment and the lives of the people.
The Governor said so far marine life had been killed and that include the evidence of dead fish being washed ashore.
Yama said apart from marine life, food crops had also been affected.
Yama said lives had been affected with two people reportedly dead after consuming contaminated fish. Their bodies were at the Modilon General Hospital awaiting post-mortems.
“Prime minister and deputy prime minister, you have to close the mine in the interest of the people,” Yama said.
“Tell them to pack up and leave and let the government take-over.”
He said Justice David Cannings in the National Court in 2002 had ordered the Conservation Environment Protection Authority to supply reports four times annually on the environmental assessment.
But he said they had never done that. Yama called on the prime minister and his deputy to visit Madang and see for themselves and hear the people’s concerns.
Rai Coast MP Peter Sapia supported the governors call for the closure of the mine.
Sapia claimed the mine had not brought any tangible development to his district and there was no need to allow it to continue to destroy the environment and the lives of the people.

14 comments

  • Can government hear the cry of the people. In coastal people sea is one of the main source that people to earn the income. Its been a months now and nothing has been done to the company. The people’s cry is to shut the mine. It has brought them nothing.

  • Investigate the then DEC (now CEPA) as to why it has failed to supply report 4 times annually as required since 2002. CEPA should be held accountable for all these environmental problems faced by communities around Ramu Nickel Mine in Madang. If one is to be investigated for this, then it should be CEPA. It has failed big time in carrying out its responsibility on environmental impact assessment and monitoring.

  • As per pictures of the environment there posted on Facebook, I support the Madang Government in closing down the mine.
    Dead fish found, a ward councilor admitted after eating contaminated fish, sea color changed to red.
    Just close the mine.

  • Pollution in its true definition mean truncation of human dependence on its natural environment for enjoyment and subsistence living. The truncation of daily sustenance of Madang coastal communities satisfy the definition of pollution. The preliminary results from CEPA indicating presence of poison like ARSENIC & CHROMIUM heavy metal is already in itself pollution. Shut the mine down and develop acceptable EMMP & EMP before any consideration be given for reopening the mine.

  • as the citizen of madang in Usion Bundi district have not receive any assistance fro the company especially in Health, Education and Sponsoring the so call the land owner student in tertiary institution and yet making billion of kina and damage the environment. therefor, i support the governor.

  • Close the mine. What has MRA said about this? Has the chief inspector said anything about this? All this departments seem to be in limbo. Simply close the mine if it cannot meet international standards and worst still, it hasn’t contributed to the development of this nation.

  • The impact that has caused by the mining is deteriorating needs government’s intervention. If the mining is not operating under our laws then there’s no point for allowing it to continuously operate.

  • I believe its time that we should close the mine, full investigations carried out, given to land owners, allow management companies manage for them. Not only this mine, any other mines with wrong motives ripp off mentealit, so much is going out, there should a measuring stick to measure…………

  • I totally support the statement Peter Yama above saying “company had made billions but had not been paying its fair share of taxes to the Government and had not changed the lives of the landowners but had negatively impacted the environment and the lives of the people”. They should have provide better basic services like; proper road and infrastructure, health and education for that place.
    Review the agreement and inform the company to be more concern on their social responsibilities…

  • Firstly close the mine for the sake of our childrens future, secondly and more importantly to be followed by lawsuit being well over 15 plus years of negligence of our environment ,mismanagement of downstream processing etc,,mcc to be first defendant and the state(cepa)second defendant and others,true madang sons and daughters action today will determine our childrens future,,worried aigobian

  • Just shut down the mine Mr PM. Why waste time. Prove it if you really want to take back PNG. Common Mr P?.

  • Do we really have a government or is it that the country has literally been sold by our leaders to Chinese companies such as this?
    The mine should have been shut down day one upon spillage thus focus investigation on the spillage.

  • What are we waiting for, the environment and innocent lives of our people are at risk.
    We have seen the results of damages, therefore close down the mine.
    They must leave.

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