“NOT on our land”.
These were the strong words of the landowners from Lauwaki Village in Vuda, Lautoka, where the developers of a $1.4billion Waste to Energy power plant plan to build the facility.
Tokatoka o Wadigi headman Apimeleki Nasalo claimed landowners were not properly consulted about the proposed project.
“We were very disappointed when we learned that part of our land would be used for this development,” said Mr Nasalo.
“None of them came to us or to our tokatoka members about this project.
“We are thinking about our children and future generations who will have to be dealing with this.”
Mr Nasalo said he had written a letter to government with approval from their tokatoka members opposing the project and called for government’s intervention.
“We want government to step in. We want them to stop this project.”
Tokatoka o Wadigi member Inoke Tora said near the proposed facility site was land that has been leased to a major resort developer.
“We have signed the paperwork. They want to build the resort near this place,” said Mr Tora.
“It does not look good to have this resort near a waste burning facility.
“As the native landowners of this area where we want to have tourists visiting, we don’t want a waste managing factory in the same place where tourists come to.”
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the proposed project was released on March 23. Members of the public have been given 21 days since the release to submit their feedback to the Ministry of Environment.
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Lynda Tabuya has clarified the $5 per page charge on a copy of the report fee was mandated under the current environment legislation.
She said amendments to the regulation were being undertaken by the ministry.
