Wise decisions today, vital for tomorrow

Hello, Mr Nalu

 My name is Vinzealhar Nen, I am Jacqueline Tanda's daughter. I am a first year pre med student in the States and one of the requirements to secure scholarship is to publish an article in a newspaper or a widely read blog.

I have written on climate change due to my role as YACA President and an active member of 350 Pacific., I am an active eco warrior and hope that through my work I can inspire my people of PNG to also be aware and active.

Is it possible if you can publish my article on your blog before the 1st of June?
Thank you and I hope to hear from you soon.

 By Vinzealhar Nen

Papua New Guinea is a country blessed with natural scenery and land fertility in relation to our natural non-renewable resources. For decades PNG soil has been mined for these natural resources, which include; gold, copper, oil and others.

In regard to mining activity there are policies written and implemented by the government of Papua New Guinea as well as international mining companies who operate within PNG. Of all policies put in place to ensure safe and reliable mining there is none put in place in terms of a tailings dam being made a requirement.

A tailings dam is used to dispose mining waste responsibly especially since mining waste consists of a high level of cyanite. Cyanide is a substance found in mining waste in large quantities, this material is highly toxic, poisonous and is well known for effectively wiping out eco systems. Currently in PNG there is no policy protecting our seas from mining waste products. Due to a policy of such nature being absent, what happens is that mining companies pump all their wastes into the ocean as a way of discarding their rubbish. Thus destroying marine life and also polluting our waters causing the effects of climate change to accelerate in our country.

Papua New Guinea as an island nation we are at great risks of being victims to climate change. As a result of careless waste disposal our marine biodiversity is threatened. By mining and burning of machinery the burning in the ozone layer increases. Causing ice bergs to melt therefore sea levels rise as a result of such activities.

The current government in power need to make choices. These decisions have to be beneficial and wise. People who have lived around the mining areas are the ones likely to suffer from the effects of climate change as well as settlers living along low lying islands. Leaders need to take on board the views of the landowners as they have that right to be heard. We do not want our nation to undergo another bouganville crisis, due to the government ignoring the opinions of the Panguna mines landowners. Nor do we want our country to be like Ok Tedi, Western Province where because the people are submissive their land is deteriorating around them.

Upcoming mining areas such as Watut in Morobe need to talk with the government to ensure that a tailings dam policy be made a compulsory requirement. At the end of the day Papua New Guinea is our home and we need to keep it safe. Miners want to operate on our land we make the rules and they abide, despite practises being expensive we need to realise that its worth it.

By taking such steps we are preserving our country another day from being submerged. Most importantly sensible decisions as such save Planet Earth.