Credibility of draft EIA report questioned at Vuda consultation

Concerns over the credibility of a draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report surfaced during a public consultation in Viseisei Village, Vuda, on Saturday night.

Resident Ron Blake questioned the reliability of the report, citing a disclaimer included in the document prepared by consultancy firm GHD.

“The document actually has a disclaimer by GHD. It says the draft must not be relied on,” Mr Blake said.

“They’re distancing themselves from what they have produced. So effectively, people are being asked to review and comment on something the authors say should not be relied on.”

Mr Blake said the disclaimer appeared throughout the more than 1500-page report and raised concerns about the purpose of the consultation process.

“It says you can’t rely on the information within this document, and it is still in draft. So, the reality is, what we are doing now?” he said.

He also claimed that The Next Generation Fiji (TNG Fiji) had advised members of the public to conduct their own research online.

“In fact, GHD is distancing itself from the document it produced. Can you explain that?” he asked.

Responding to the concerns, GHD senior technician David Gambell said he was unsure which version of the document Mr Blake was referring to.

“I think you’re referring to the table of contents. The rest of the document does not have that,” Mr Gambell said.

“We’ll take that on notice, sir. There has obviously been an error in the printing.”

Tensions rose during the consultation when representatives from TNG Fiji attempted to close the question-and-answer session.

However, Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change Sivendra Michael intervened, calling for more time to allow public participation.

“I just want to say we cannot have just one more question. We need to open it up, because this is what public consultation is about,” Mr Michael said.

“Please ensure there is sufficient time for questions. We are here taking notes, and officials from government agencies have travelled to ensure these concerns are recorded.”

The consultation forms part of the review process for the proposed development, with community feedback expected to inform final decisions.