The Environment Ministry will not sit back from issuing a prohibition notice for any breaches says Permanent Secretary Joshua Wycliffe.

He made the comments after Peoples Alliance Party Leader Sitiveni Rabuka issued a statement saying that Chinese company Tengy Cement is polluting the environment in Lami and affecting residents in the area.

Rabuka says it seems the focus on attracting investors to the country supersedes the concern for the environment and communities that are impacted.

The People’s Alliance Party Leader claims Tengy Cement Company pays nothing in duty for all their manufacturing plant and equipment as an incentive for investors yet residents in the area are suffering from health problems due to the dust emissions from exposure to clinker.

He claims that despite two stop-work orders issued last year and this year and numerous protests by residents, the factory continues to operate.

Wycliffe says the company had rectified the breaches and the prohibition notice was lifted following inspections.

He says the company is now in operation.

“If we find at some stage if there is a breach then we will immediately clamp down again with the prohibition notice.”

An environment monitoring committee has also been set up by the Ministry to monitor any breaches.

The committee also consists of members of the public.