Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filiomoni Vosarogo engaged with Namosi landowners to directly understand their concerns regarding the impacts of prospecting activities conducted by the Namosi Joint Venture.

Landowners highlighted issues such as lack of consultation, plans for pit excavation and potential flattening of virgin forests within the prospecting area if copper deposits are identified, and mining is approved.

The Joint Venture Special Prospecting License is currently on hold and the landowners expressed their opposition to further mining development in the region.

Lomani Au Maroroi Au Committee Member Tadeo Camaitoga says they have the evidence to prove the negative impacts that has brought about by the prospecting works and has united to go against the project

“This is our land and we don’t want our children to be affected by this project. We know that it will bring in financial support to the government but we need something that is sustainable, not a project that will affect our livelihood and brings about disunity.”

Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filiomoni Vosarogo

Namosi landowner Dominika Nariva says they are not allowing the development to take place.

“We do not want this development, even the Environment Impact Assessment Officers coming to do the EIA, we don’t want it. Our land right now is suffering, we are suffering, there are no oranges, and no sources of food, the forest are not virgin anymore.”

LAMA Chair Sipiriano Nariva says their elders have fought against the development and they will continue.

“We need a sustainable development not something that affects us. This project is still in its prospecting phase and we have started to see its negative impacts.”

Vosarogo responded by acknowledging the landowners’ concerns and mentioned that the Ministry is working on reviewing the Mining Act to align it with current development challenges and address the issues faced by landowners.

“These are the kind of things that we need to know because only when we know these kind of things then we will be able to build the operational resilience that’s needed in order to address the concerns of the landowners. They are very important, they are very important part of any investment process, so that is going to be something a line minister will have to take up to cabinet and once that is approved by cabinet then obviously find its way to parliament.”

The Minister assured them of ongoing consultations with another meeting scheduled for January to further discuss the matters at hand.

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