‘Minister warns over mining environment damage’ blares the headline. ‘Mining Minister Byron Chan says mine licence holders are responsible for any environmental damages they create in the course of their operation‘ declares the opening paragraph.
Yeah Right! Bet the foreign miners are quaking in their boots!
Come on then Mr Chan, where is the government action against Newcrest for damage on Lihir, action against Barrick for destroying the Porgera and Strickland rivers, action against Harmony Gold for pollution of the Watut river? And what is the government doing about BHP and the destruction of the Fly now you have removed their legal immunity?
NOTHING of course.
Absolutely NOTHING.
As far as MRA, DEC and the politicians like Baby Chan are concerned the foreign miners can come and destroy our environment and rape our local communities as long as the invites keep flowing for those expensive overseas trips and lavish hotel accommodations…
Minister warns over mining environment damage
Joy Kisselpar | PNG Loop
Second Generation politician Byron ‘Baby’ Chan is easy prey for foreign mining companies. Photo: AFP
Mining Minister Byron Chan says mine licence holders are responsible for any environmental damages they create in the course of their operation.
He says they are responsible whatever damages made in the past, present and future.
Lagaip- Porgera Open MP Nixon Mangape raised questions in relation to reports Barrick Limited’s intention to sell its shares in Porgera mine to an Asian company.
He also asked how environmental damages from the mine would be dealt with.
Minister Chan says he is aware of talks by Barrick Limited to sell its share in Porgera Mine to an Asian company.
“Whoever takes over the mine licence will be responsible for environmental damages in past, present and future” he says.
“but the government is not involved in discussions, the government’s job is to make law and regulate mine activities,” he said.
He says under the laws the government is not to be involved with mine licence holders.
Meantime Chan says Barrick and the government are working on getting a land title for an area that has been identified for relocation of people living close to the mine site.
Papua New Guinea Mine Watch 
Oh but mr dumb minister, isn’t your government a shareholder in these mines? So you are also responsible for the damage/impact of the mines. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. If you were educated in Australia you should know what that expressions means. The Asians, your wantoks, will come to Porgera and do more damage that Barrick has and Placer Niugini have done. So brace yourself and wait or the onslaught like what is happening in Madang. What limited MPs and bureaucrats do we have. Shame!
On a related topic, can the government now listen to the expressed views of the people and put off the experimental seabed mining by Solwara 1 in the Bismarck Archipelago? It is right in the Minister’s area. If the Minister is concerned about environmental impact then he should be even more concerned about the unknown impact of experimental mining in the sea.