A landowner in Ramu in Papua New Guinea's Madang province has described the development by the Chinese operators of the massive nickel mine project as chaotic.
Joe Koroma, whose land is set to be destroyed by the first phase of mining, says the government never consulted him about signing with the operators, RamuNico.
His comments come as PNG's Department of Labour and Employment assesses the paperwork of around 150 Chinese workers who were arrested in last week's raids at the Ramu project for not having proper work permits.
Mr Koroma says the Chinese state-owned company has set up its own local wharf facility, which is unmanned by PNG officials and where the developers can bring in and take out whatever or whoever they please.
"It is a sad case because the government appears to have either lost total control over this issue or is in approval of it. But the bottom line is that the landowners did not put pen to paper in signing away their land, in approving the development of their land."
Joe Koroma says locals can only watch as their environment undergoes rapid change.
