What the Government did on the floor of Parliament last Friday, before getting away from being directly answerable, was a low act. The tacticians swept aside the interests of the 109 MPs’ constituents around the country by swinging in strict new powers and exemption rights for the Environment and Conservation director.
In effect, the powers will enable one man, the director, to okay the environmental practices planned for resource projects without the people being able to challenge that bureaucratic dictatorship. The Opposition was caught on the hop, like the media and other organisations that might have wanted to say something about the draconian changes.
In effect, the powers will enable one man, the director, to okay the environmental practices planned for resource projects without the people being able to challenge that bureaucratic dictatorship. The Opposition was caught on the hop, like the media and other organisations that might have wanted to say something about the draconian changes.
Benny Allan, Papua New Guinea's Environment and Conversation Minister. The member who spearheaded the chaotic bill in parliament.
It is plainly flying in the face of the matter currently before the National Court over the well advanced Ramu nickel mine in Madang. It is also obviously designed to frustrate any well-intentioned or mischievous individuals and groups from interfering with the first and following LNG projects.
It is obvious that the Government has decided that development of any type is good and that any obstacles to resource projects must be swept aside. Environment Minister Benny Allen said the “national interest’’ was paramount and justified the legislative changes, which removed threats to PNG’s economy and revenue bases.
We venture to suggest that the Minister’s electorate of Unggai-Bena has little prospect of harbouring any major resource projects. If there was a hill of gold or nickel there, he would certainly find his constituents in revolt mood if they found that they could not object to environmental risk to their streams or villages.
Likewise, other ministers and leading MPs are either in areas with no chance of unearthing major projects or, possibly, they prefer their constituents to have no voice in what happens to their land and water.
Former Attorney-General Dr Allan Marat rightly points out that the amendments to the law are open to challenge if they are found to breach parts of the Constitution. We suspect lawyers with a conscience and many landowner groups will have spent much of the weekend studying the possibilities.
This legislative “kamikaze’’ action seems to have rendered the title, Environment and Conservation Department, as a contradiction in terms. What sort of built-in safeguards will there be to ensure that one man sitting in an office at Waigani does not make a dreadful mistake which could ruin part of PNG?
It is obvious that the Government has decided that development of any type is good and that any obstacles to resource projects must be swept aside. Environment Minister Benny Allen said the “national interest’’ was paramount and justified the legislative changes, which removed threats to PNG’s economy and revenue bases.
We venture to suggest that the Minister’s electorate of Unggai-Bena has little prospect of harbouring any major resource projects. If there was a hill of gold or nickel there, he would certainly find his constituents in revolt mood if they found that they could not object to environmental risk to their streams or villages.
Likewise, other ministers and leading MPs are either in areas with no chance of unearthing major projects or, possibly, they prefer their constituents to have no voice in what happens to their land and water.
Former Attorney-General Dr Allan Marat rightly points out that the amendments to the law are open to challenge if they are found to breach parts of the Constitution. We suspect lawyers with a conscience and many landowner groups will have spent much of the weekend studying the possibilities.
This legislative “kamikaze’’ action seems to have rendered the title, Environment and Conservation Department, as a contradiction in terms. What sort of built-in safeguards will there be to ensure that one man sitting in an office at Waigani does not make a dreadful mistake which could ruin part of PNG?
Source: The Post Courier Editorial
