Residents of North Leeward are demanding legislative guarantees and full public transparency as the government moves forward with a massive project to extract volcanic material from the Richmond River area. During a “North Leeward Matters” community consultation held at the Golden Grove Learning Resource Center, local stakeholders made it clear that while they recognize the economic potential of the site, they expect the community to be the primary beneficiary.
Government officials and the CEO of Bragsa described the estimated 4.2 million cubic meters of volcanic material as a “gold mine” that could generate millions of dollars for the state. One resident argued that this resource should be treated with the same weight as oil, stating that the community must see direct financial returns.
“I think we should put it in laws that any resource or mineral that is extracted from a community, 25% of the net profit should come to the community,” one resident proposed during the session. While acknowledging the figure is negotiable, the resident emphasized that North Leeward must not watch the benefits of its resources “wash go in the sea”.
Beyond financial stakes, residents are calling for a high level of institutional transparency. One participant, drawing on decades of experience living in the Netherlands, urged the government to publish a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and an environmental management plan.
The community’s list of demands for public disclosure includes:
- Copies of permits, licenses, and authorizations granted for mining operations.
- Publicly available minutes, recordings, and attendance transcripts for all related meetings.
- Management plans to ensure the project does not result in environmental degradation.
Specific concerns were raised regarding the livelihood of local fishermen. Residents questioned what safeguards are in place to prevent heavy rain from causing mining runoff to cloud the water, which could drive fish away from the coast.
In response to the calls for direct benefits, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Honorable Nigel Stevenson, gave a “solemn pledge” that North Leeward would see infrastructure improvements unlike anything in the last 25 years.
The extraction project is viewed by officials as a necessary act of river maintenance to prevent the Richmond River from being blocked by accumulating debris. However, the consultation concluded with the understanding that the “gold mine” of material will only be considered a success if the residents of North Leeward share equitably in the $73 million EC potential of the resource.