PS Environment Clarifies EIA Process

Permanent Secretary for Environment, Joshua Wycliffe, has clarified that the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is not a new requirement that loggers and sawmill companies have to adhere to prior to commercial logging.

He was part of the first EIA clinic for the year to be held in Labasa on Tuesday.

This was following concerns being raised by a sawmill company in the Northern Division, which claimed that the EIA process and procedures were time-consuming and that amendments and changes brought by the EIA processes were never consulted with relevant stakeholders.

Mr Wycliffe confirmed that there were no delayed or pending applications that were overdue from saw-millers regarding this matter as claimed.

He said the law had been in existence since 2005 and warned sawmill companies that if they had not followed this legislation, then it was a clear breach.

Mr Wycliffe was aware of a particular saw-miller, who wanted to jointly meet the Director for Environment, Sandeep Singh, to suit his agenda.

“We did meet with the saw-millers, however, I understand one saw-miller attempted to gather all saw-millers to jointly meet with the Director which our department was open to meeting with and agree to the option,” he said.

However, Mr Wycliffe said the saw-millers opted and preferred to meet with the Director individually to discuss and respond to their queries.

Meanwhile, Jaydils Logging PTE Limited managing director, Jay Kumar, believed the EIA clinic was a nice meeting which he highly appreciated.

Mr Kumar said the meeting addressed all their concerns regarding the processing of their EIA application for the screening process.

“We have been told that in the next two-five days, we will receive an update on our application,” he added.

Gold Hold Investments Saw-mill owner, Richard Du, said the meeting solved all his problems regarding the EIA process.

Mr Du applauded the Department for supporting the economy and economic development in the North.