Blogs

Ramu mine will form part of Special Economic Zone

The controversial Ramu nickel mine in Papua New Guinea is set to be part of Papua New Guinea's first Special Economic Zone, writes Alex Harris. Such zones allow foreign companies to take advantage of cheap labour costs and lax environmental regulations, but cause misery and suffering for local people. 

THE RAPID GROWTH of China as a supply centre has seen its rise as an economic powerhouse, that is itself now ‘off-shoring’ to cheaper labour locations with even more lax environmental regulations…such as Papua New Guinea.

Garnaut and BHP criticized by PNG Government

 

By Ilya Gridneff, Papua New Guinea Correspondent PORT MORESBY, Oct 20 AAP -

The Papua New Guinea government has attacked the development group headed by Australia's climate change expert Ross Garnaut for failing to deliver improvements needed after BHP Biliton's environmental disaster at the Ok Tedi copper mine.

ACT NOW! files complaints about Highlands Pacific with Australian authorities

ACT NOW! has filed complaints with the Australian Stock Exchange and Australian Investments and Securities Commission about Highlands Pacific Ltd and its involvement with the Ramu nickel mine in Papua New Guinea.

ACT NOW! has complained that Highlands Pacific has both published misleading information and has failed to publish relevant information relating to the Ramu mine's waste dumping plans that might affect the company's share price. 

Namah: What is in the 'National Interest'?

By The Hon. Belden Namah, MP

I am now convinced that the Somare Government does not consider the interests of local people or the country to be of any importance. 

Increasingly, decisions that negatively affect every citizen are being made by this Government that are justified because they say they are in the ‘National Interest’.  In fact, these decisions are only in the interest of the political elite and the robber companies that the Somare Government is now attracting to steal from Papua New Guinea’s resources.  

Govt closing its eyes to the people and putting foreign interests first

From Ramu Nickel Mine Watch

Former Forest Minister, MP Belden Namah, has spoken out about the Ramu mine waste dumping issue which he says reflects the fact the government is weak and has been captured by foreign investors and is failing to put the interests of the people first.

Rhetoric and reality: Millennium Development Goals

By Jo Chandler, The Age

THE clock is ticking in New York. It's a large, illuminated clock in Times Square, not far from the United Nations headquarters, where 140 world leaders and countless development activists gathered this week to evaluate progress on promises they made 10 years ago to make the world a better place.