Closure will hurt economy

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the closure of the refugee processing centre on Manus Island would have a negative effect on the island’s economy and the government will work with Australia to minimise damage to businesses and workers.

“I have considered the ruling of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea and welcome this outcome,” O’Neill said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Respecting this ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers.”

O’Neill, who has previously said the detention centre had hurt his nation’s reputation, said PNG “did not anticipate the asylum seekers to be kept as long as they have” at Manus Island.

Lawyers for Manus Island detainees say some have been held there more than 1000 days.

The court ruled the detention centre breached the constitutional right of asylum seekers to personal liberty, and PNG’s decision scuppers other potential options such as changing that nation’s laws to make the centre legal, or turning the facility into an “open centre” so detainees can come and go as they please.

It is not yet clear when the facility will actually shut.

The Australian government is now under intense pressure to deal with the problem – either by moving the asylum seekers and refugees to another location, such as Nauru or Christmas Island, or finding a third country to house them.

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the court ruling was “under consideration” and the detention centre was the responsibility of the PNG government, adding “I can’t provide a definitive road map from here”.

O’Neill said many local businesses had invested to expand their operations to support the detention centre.

He predicted these businesses would suffer and jobs would be lost. Hundreds of locals who work at the detention centre also face losing their jobs.

He said negotiations with Australia will focus on when the facility will close and how to manage the settlement of legitimate refugees who want to stay in PNG.

- SMH