Stop PMIZ – A “Fishy Deal”

MADANG PEOPLE’S PETITION TO RT HON. PETER O’NEILL CMG, MP, PRIME MINISTER OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND HON. JIM KAS GOVERNOR FOR MADANG- CALLING FOR CLOSURE OF HE PACIFIC MARINE INDUSTRIAL ZONE (PMIZ), 12 MAY, 2015.

We the local community leaders, representatives of people of the BEL and ARI villages and Madang people during a meeting at Riwo village on 4 May, 2015 – unanimously agreed to call on the Government to CLOSE THE MADANG PMIZ for the following reasons;

LACK/NO CONSULTATION
1. There was no Free Prior and Informed Consent from landowners before the project was initiated and contract (for infrastructure development) was signed between the developer (China Shenyang International Economic and Technical Corporation Ltd) and the National Government through the Trade, Commerce and Industry Department.

2. There was no awareness and assistance given by Government to Incorporated Land Groups (ILG) as required under ILG law prior to development of this project.

3. People were “forced” to form umbrella companies or groups where there is no recognition of clans systems and ownership of land and reef in the impacted area or Madang lagoon.

4. Survey, construction and other work has began at the PMIZ Vidar site without the consent, involvement or knowledge of the Bel people, Madang people and our community, local and national leaders.

5. The Madang Governor, Madang National Members of Parliament and the Provincial Government which included elected Ward Presidents have not been consulted, involved or currently have no knowledge of the scope of work being carried out at the PMIZ Vidar site.

6. The communities within and around the PMIZ Area were not consulted on their use of their three (3) mile traditional fishing ground as required by fisheries neither by the office of the Provincial PMIZ Project Coordinator or the National Fisheries Authority.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
1. There is no Environmental Impact Study (EIS) on the current state of the air, land and sea in the Madang lagoon and Vidar area to establish a baseline data for future monitoring and control of levels of pollution from all PMIZ activities.
2. There is no Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on a Compensation Formulae to be signed between the Bel people and Madang people, the developer and the Provincial Government for any annual increases in pollutions.

3. There is no guarantee that four (4) gazetted locally managed Marine/Wildlife Management Areas within the Madang Lagoon will be protected from pollution and other activities by the PMIZ Project.

4. There is no guarantee that tides and ocean current will not carry pollution from the PMIZ Project to locally managed marine conservation areas along the North Coast Road or the Madang lagoon.

5. There is no guarantee that part of the Coral Triangle off the coast of Vidar in Madang will not be polluted and destroyed by the PMIZ Project. This reef is important part of the PNG which is under the Government’s Coral Triangle Initiative.

NO BENEFITS TO LANDOWNERS & MADANG PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
1. Experience has been that the National Government, Provincial Government and partner corporations do not honour their agreements with the Madang landowners eg: Siar Landowners to date have not received benefits from RD Fisheries. Thus this project is going to repeat this at a very larger scale.

2. There is no Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) between the developer, National Government, Provincial Government, Incorporated Land Groups (ILGs) and the landowners setting out benefits and business rights.

3. There is no MOU between Madang Provincial Government and developer on the business spin offs for indigenous Madang people including Joint Venture with operators of fishing vessels and training and employment of local fishermen on vessels.

4. There is no MOA between Provincial Government, LLGs and developer to guarantee that 50% of all workforce comes from people of registered ILGs and LLG census area before project starts.

SOCIAL IMPACT
1. There was no Social Mapping to ensure viable social structures and systems are not destroyed as a result of the PMIZ Project activities and influences.

2. No-Go-Zones have already been set up by the PMIZ Project preventing locals from having direct access to their customary gardening and fishing grounds.

3. There is no guarantee that the current practice of “fish for sex” trade will not intensify with and as a result of the PMIZ Project activities and influences.

4. There is no guarantee that the education of young people, especially females, from the surrounding PMIZ Project area will not be affected by the PMIZ Project activities and influences as project is currently luring young women to leave school to become labourers of the fish clearing and processing assembly line.

5. There is no guarantee that the current law and order problems will not increase as a result of the PMIZ Project activities and influences.

6. There is no guarantee signed by the state or Governor General that the people of Sek Island, Kananam village Rempi and villages within the PMIZ proximity will not be displaced, removed or relocated to other areas to make way for the project.

7. There is no guarantee that the sudden increase in population (+30,000) will not put a strain on the government services (water, electricity, health) to the Bel and Madang people.

ECONOMIC IMPACT
1. There is no guarantee that the economic freedom enjoyed by the Bel and Madang people who live off the sea will not be destroyed by the pollution and activities of the PMIZ Project.

2. The National Government, the Madang Provincial Government, the ILGs and LLGs concerned don’t have any details of royalties to be paid by PMIZ developers and operators for every tonnage of fish processed. Such a multi-million dollar project must have formulae for royalty payments similar to packages enjoyed by oil, minerals and logging landowners.

3. There are no details of on-site Small-Medium Enterprises (SME) and guarantees of certain percentage of it to be provided for ILG people.

4. The Madang People were overlooked in the bidding process to supply power and water to the PMIZ Project even though they were encouraged to participate.

WE NOW CALL ON THE RT HON PETER O’NEILL CMG, PRIME MINSTER AND HON JIM KAS MADANG GOVERNOR FOR:

1. The Government of Papua New Guinea to STOP the PMIZ project;

2. The Madang Provincial Government to immediately use its administrative powers to STOP all survey, construction and any other work associated with PMIZ development at Vidar.

3. The Ombudsman Commission to CONDUCT a full investigation into the expenditure of K30.m (budget approved) and any other additional funds by the national government or its agencies on the PMIZ development so far.

WE THE PETITIONERS URGE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE NECESSARY MEASURES TO STOP THIS ILLEGAL AND UNSUSTAINABLE PROJECT. WE EXPECT YOUR FAVOURABLE RESPONSE ON/BY THE 31ST OF MAY2015.

ON THE EVENT THAT WE DO NOT RECEIVE A FAVOURABLE RESPONSE FROM YOU, WE WILL SEEK OTHER NECESSARY MEANS TO STOP THIS PROJECT.