The Waigani National Court has given the all clear to community groups against the Solwara 1 project represented by the Alliance of the Solwara Warriors to proceed with their case that was lodged in 2017.
Justice Polume-Kiele in her decision handed down on Thursday 17th of September said under Section 51 of the Constitution, all citizens have a right to access public information.
The Mineral Resources Authority’s attempt to withheld key documents relating to the Nautilus Solwara 1 project was rejected by the Waigani National Court this week.
The National Court has given the all clear to communities and environmental groups to proceed lodging their claim to obtain key information on the Solwara 1 project.
Lawyer Peter Bosip from the Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights, representing the communities said the information sought by the Alliance of the Solwara Warriors will allow Papua New Guineans to understand the environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts of the proposed Solwara 1 deep sea mine and also whether it was approved lawfully.
He said the coastal communities have repeatedly requested the information from the National Government over several years before resorting to legal proceedings.
The counsel said it was disappointing that they have been forced to bring a legal action in the National Court to assert such a basic right, and that the MRA spent taxpayer’s money in seeking to have the case dismissed. The counsel said it was disappointing that they have been forced to bring a legal action in the National Court to assert such a basic right, and that the MRA spent taxpayer’s money in seeking to have the case dismissed.
Justice Polume-Kiele said communities can now proceed with their case that was lodge in 2017.
Jonathan Mesulam of the Alliance of Solwara Warriors stated that not only did the MRA spend two years trying to block the environmental group to access to information, it is also currently undertaking a process to renew the Nautilus Nuigini deep sea exploration licenses.
Earlier this year, Jerry Garry, Managing Director of PNG’s Mineral Resource Authority said that PNG had invested a lot of money in this risky project.