Governement is “almost at the tail end” of the decision-making process to renew the Namosi Special Prospecting Licence.
This was the response given by Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo to Leader of Opposition Inia Seruiratu, who asked Mr Vosarogo about the progress in Namosi.
“There is only one outstanding matter that we are going to be attending to the week after next and after that, a decision will be made by my office on the renewal of the Namosi Special Prospecting Licence,” Mr Vosarogo said.
Other supplementary questions were also raised, particularly on the issue of environmental degradation and mangrove depletion.
Mr Vosarogo said as far as mangroves and mangrove plans were concerned, there was a plan in every foreshore development lease issued by the ministry.
He said if mangroves were required to be removed, then the equal number of mangroves removed must be replanted in either in a nearby area or in an area approved and agreed to by traditional or freehold landowners within the vicinity.
“With the development of the Mangrove Policy, I think in the future, we are going to have a very a cohesive and detailed plan that can be easily executed by all the government ministries. However, I can assure the Parliament that from the viewpoint of the ministry as well as the Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry, we are working together to ensure that the standing mangroves of our country are not less than what it is now and we will need to improve and increase that in the future.”
