The Kananam Meeting on the proposed Pacific Marine Industrial Zone was called for this Friday because a spate of important government officials claimed to have never received their invitations to the first Rempi Forum.
Villagers living on and around the site of PNGs first Special Economic Zone, the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang, frustrated by a lack of government information and awareness about the project are hosting their own Forum this week to learn more about what is proposed for their land and seas and what the likely impacts will be. This is a report on the first day of the Forum.
Landowners living on and around the site chosen for Papua New Guinea's first Special Economic Zone, the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone, have announced a three-day public forum to discuss their concerns about the project. Invitations to the event are being sent to among others, Madang Governor, MP James Gau, his predecessor and now Attorney General, MP Arnold Amet, World Bank representative in PNG, Laura Bailey and MP Gabriel Kapris, the Minister for Trade and Industry.
Women and children from the Rempi area of Madang fear eviction as the government presses ahead with plans for Papua New Guinea's first Special Economic Zone.
Together with their men, the women met to air their grievances about the government sanctioned US$300 million Pacific Marine Industrial Zone which promises to bring in 10 new fish canneries and about 30,000 jobs.
Local people living around the site for the proposed Pacific Marine Industrial Zone north of Madang town, have taken out a newspaper advertisement opposing the project.
The PMIZ will be the first Special Economic Zone in PNG, under new laws being drafted by the World Bank.
The Environmental Impact Assessment for the government's Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang paints a terrible picture of the likely social and environmental impacts of the project.
The 39-page EIS was prepared by the Department of Commerce and Industry in June 2010 and submitted to the Department of Environment and Conservation.
The signing of the Approval in Principle for the controversial Pacific Marine Industrial Park in Madang has been held in Port Moresby despite being scheduled to be held in Madang.
The move has angered local Kananam people who say it is just one more example of the government hiding behind secret deals.
Women and children from the Rempi area of Madang fear eviction as the government presses ahead with plans for Papua New Guinea's first Special Economic Zone.
