Susana
Suisuiki Pacific Waves presenter
The
United States and New Zealand-funded upgrade
of Penrhyn port, a former American military base, in the
northern Cook Islands has raised concerns about transparency
and environmental impacts.
Cook Islands Prime Minister
Mark Brown described the port as a “lifeline” for Penrhyn,
saying the US$60 million upgrade was one of the largest
infrastructure projects in the country’s history.
The
US and New Zealand made the announcement in Palau this week,
promising safer access to the remote atoll and better
connections for the rest of the country.
US Deputy
Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the new port
project builds on that shared history, but also on the
Critical Minerals Framework which sets out how the Cook
Islands and the US would work together to look at how the
country’s critical minerals could be explored and developed,
including minerals found on the seafloor.
World War
II connection
Penrhyn, also known as Tongareva, has a
long-standing connection with the US.
During World War
II, the US forces established a military presence on the
atoll. In 1942, an airfield was built on Penrhyn with around
1000 military personnel stationed on the island at the
height of the war.
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The airfield, which is now known as
Tongareva, airport is still in use today. The port, located
in the village of Omoka, was also constructed during World
War II.
While Penrhyn MP Vaine Wichman has welcomed
the project, a Cook Islands landowner and environmental
organisation Te Ipukarea Society say they have concerns
about transparency.
TIS director Alanna Matamaru Smith
told Pacific Waves there was a lack of information on
the project.
“Definitely concerned, especially when
you’ve got a major state like the United States having
interest in the South Pacific for nodules and deep sea
mining,” she said.
“Wanting to work in a space that we
really don’t know too much about, let alone what these
nodules will be used for future purposes … is it going to
be for the green tech transition as they say, or is there
something sinister at play here where it could be used for
military defence purposes?”
A Cook Islands landowner,
who RNZ Pacific has agreed not to name, said while she was
not opposed to the port being upgraded. However, she said
there needs to be more transparency about why the project is
being funded.
“The people of our Pa Enua (outer
islands) deserve a safe, reliable infrastructure and better
access to essential services,” they said.
“What my
concern is the way a project appears to be connected with a
much wider critical mineral and geopolitical
agenda.”
The landowner said that the public needs to
see the complete funding arrangements, project agreements,
environment assessments and other conditions placed on the
people on Penrhyn. She questioned whether there had been
public consultations.
But Penrhyn MP Vaine Wichman
told Pacific Waves the project had been a long time
coming.
“This kind of activity is not reflected really
easily in the decisions that the country makes in terms of
significant projects being approved for the small islands
like Penrhyn,” Wichman said.
She said the need for
improved port infrastructure had been raised for nearly two
decades.
‘Our people deserve something
permanent’
Wichman also rejected concerns raised by
“these environmentalists” and said the people had been
consulted “for many years”.
The Penrhyn MP added that
the focus on the US and the critical minerals overlooked the
needs of the island, which is home to 200 people.
“I
just find it sad that a lot of people like these
environmentalists go first for something that’s not even in
the minds of our people, straight away – America, critical
minerals – no good,” Wichman said.
“No one ever
thought to think about all these years while our poor port
was being eroded by time and the weather and our people
deserve something very permanent.”
Wichman also
dismissed questions around the timing of the announcement
with Brown still serving as caretaker prime minister, saying
the government had already been confirmed and there was no
need to delay the announcement.
“The fact that it’s
announced now is just like any day, you know, business as
usual. I can’t say much for other people, but why hold on to
something that’s good news for some people?”.
Looking
ahead
Wichman said the project should also create
opportunities for Penrhyn people to take part in its
development and hoped it would encourage those who had left
the island to return home.
“I will make sure that our
people will be involved, especially in the construction of
the infrastructure because we’ve grown since 80 years ago
and we have some of our Penrhyn people working overseas,
building other people’s wharves and airports, why can’t they
come home and help build ours?”
The project will now
move into a design phase, with the Cook Islands, New Zealand
and the US expected to work through the details of the
development.
For Penrhyn, the port promises a
long-awaited improvement to its connection with the rest of
the Cook Islands.
But as the project moves forward,
questions linger over its environmental impact, the role of
the US, and what it could mean for the Cook Islands’ future
with deep-sea
mining.
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