Strong objections were voiced by Lami residents who attended the Environment Impact Assessment public consultation yesterday for the proposed Asphalt Mixing Plant to be built in Lami by China Railway No.5 Engineering Group (Fiji) Ltd.

Asphalt is a combination of sand and rock held together by oil.

The China Railway No.5 Engineering Group (Fiji) Ltd proposes to develop an Asphalt Mixing Plant on part of the Tianjie Cement Factory site in Wailekutu, Lami.

This will comprise of an asphalt Plant production site, silo storage, aggregate bin storage area, site office, weighbridge, and internal access ways.

About 50 people attended the consultation and raised concerns that apart from the Ministry of Environment, representatives from various concerned ministries as well as from the Lami Town Council were not present at the consultation.

Lami residents at the consultation were also concerned about how awareness was created about public consultation.

They said they found out about it through social media and not through the advertisement in the newspaper which was the only means used to create public awareness.

Lami residents at the consultation have also requested for house to house consultations as the majority of the residents were unaware of the public consultation being held today. 

Epeli Nasome of E. Nasome Environment Consultant Services who is tasked with carrying out the Environment Impact Assessment agreed that house to house consultations could be arranged. 

A resident questioned Nasome’s qualifications.

Nasome responded by saying Environment Impact Assessment consultants have to meet the Department of Environment’s criteria.

He says some of these include being involved with environmental management work, having experience with Environment Impact Assessments. 

Nasome says during his time at the Department of Environment he was involved in a lot of these.

Nasome also revealed that he had a Bachelor in Environment Studies from the University of Auckland and started out as a Town Planner.

He is a former Director of the Department of Environment.