Tonga Seabed Minerals Bill to go to parliament this year [1]
Friday, March 15, 2013 - 18:28. Updated on Tuesday, September 3, 2013 - 16:27.
A Tonga Seabed Minerals Bill 2012 is expected to be introduced to Tonga's Parliament in July or August this year.
Tonga's Attorney General Neil Adsett told Matangi Tonga today that when the Lands Department thinks the draft is ready to present to Cabinet for policy decisions he hoped that Cabinet would authorize the publication of the Bill for public comment before it is finalized.
"The bill is on our legislative program for 2013 so we hope it will go to parliament in July or August," he said.
The Attorney General talked to a Pacific-ACP States Regional Workshop on Deep Sea Minerals Law and Contract Negotiations held in Nuku'alofa this week, and gave an idea of what is in Tonga's draft Bill, at this stage.
The Bill and regulations aim to cover permit regulated seabed mineral activities with an objective to efficiently manage, protect and preserve the marine environment, while promoting transparency in government decision making and to provide a stable operating environment for sea mineral companies. At the same time, it is aimed to ensure that Tonga receives appropriate financial benefit from mining companies' profits.
He said although the technology for seabed mining was new, the basic arrangements would be the same as on land. Sea mineral exploration companies need a license to prospect, explore or mine, and the environmental issues are very strictly guarded and they pay royalties to Tonga.
"This is being worked out separately by the Revenue Department, who are looking at drafting a new Resources Tax Bill," he said.
Tonga has a Minerals Act from 1949 that deals basically with mining on land which was amended in 1978 to cover Tonga's seabed. But it is thought that a special new Act is needed for seabed mining, said the Attorney General.
Industry
Paula Taumoepeau the Country Manager of Nautilus Minerals Tonga Ltd. said that companies were asked to participate in some of the sessions at the workshop, as it dealt with legal aspects of deep sea minerals.
It had provided them with a good opportunity to network with representatives from other Pacific Islands. "We learnt a lot from presentations made by leading industry members in the region like Papua New Guinea, while strengthening our network," he said.
"For Nautilus, we had the opportunity to put our views forward and updated about our project, as there were a lot of misconceptions about what we do," he said.
Paula believed that Tonga needs good legislation to balance all sides from commercial, benefits, social and protection of the environment. "One workshop would not solve the issues at once, that's why it is important to have ongoing dialogues and we hope the industry will continue to be consulted on deep sea minerals," he said.
15 Pacific islands countries
This is the second of five regional technical workshops held on behalf of a SPC-EU Deep Sea Minerals Project that ends in 2014 after four years. The project was set up to provide technical assistance to states in its decision making and engagement with deep sea mineral activities.
Attended by representatives from 15 Pacific Islands including government officials with some representatives from civil society, mining companies and experts from outside the region, the workshop was held at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre from March 11-15.