Concerns about the poor quality of work carried out by environment impact assessment (EIA) consultants will be addressed in a meeting convened by Environment Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy this afternoon.
While launching World Environment Day celebrations in Suva yesterday, Dr Reddy said the meeting was called to address complaints he had received against EIA consultants.
“We will be having a frank conversation with all Department of Environment-registered EIA consultants,” he said.
“The department is concerned about the quality of work that some of the EIA consultants have been producing and also, we have been receiving complaints from their clients.”
In a media statement released in March this year, Dr Reddy announced the launch of a National EIA Clinics Program.
He said under the program, the director of Environment would carry out EIA and other environment-related clinics with all businesses and potential investors.
Dr Reddy said the clinics would address the majority of complaints received by the Department of Environment.
He said the discussions would be centered around clarifying any issues with the EIA process and how processes would be sped up or made more efficient.
