Axiom Mining, page-119

The one positive I take out of today is Tovosia is back in the limelight for the Bintan licence over Rennell island. See the story below. He’s already had one mining application decision quashed by the high court and it cannot be far before they quash the licence he awarded over Kolosori. It’s really sucks for the honest SI people working hard on these mine run by Bintan, but hopefully gets sorted out soon..

LANDOWNER FRUSTRATED OVER BREACH OF AGREEMENTA disgruntled Rennell Island landowner Abel Sogago claimed that Bintan Mining Solomon Islands (BMSI) failed to fulfil its commitment when dealing with royalty payments.The landowner in an interview this week claimed that BMSI breached their Community Development Agreement (CDA) after shipments of bauxite but no payments available.“As stipulated in the agreement, payments should be wired into our accounts but currently a nil balance.“They fail us big time and we will shut-off them if they did not comply with our claims,” he said.Mr Sogago is reported to have halt machines owned by BMSI fortnights ago.He disclosed that the machines have been released this week but will again be grounded if they did not comply with his demands and associated claims.“The miners did not comply with our existing agreement which they are supposed to.“When we sign pockets of land for digging, they pay us partially, not in full amount as agreed.“They pay us peanuts and yet ship away hundreds and thousands tonnage of bauxite soils,” he said adding that so far from his land alone there are 7 shipments totalling up to 300,000 tonnage.Frustrated Sogago claimed that the miners over-charged them on some goods and items which they take as credit during the operations.“BMSI claims that landowners owe hundreds and thousands of dollars as conversion for the vehicles and food they provide to us.“Worst is they just don’t show us the total amount an official document but just write it up against our names and cut the royalty payments,” he said adding that they over-charged and did not respect indigenous rights and what belongs to them.He said Ministry of Mines and Energy failure to respond calls or provide legal advices pursuant to such agreement is unbecoming of a responsible government. The current payment employed by BMSI is garden plots as measurement.A garden pocket consented out for digging will cost approximately $20,000.But the Rennell landowner claims the payment part is always slow and few times paid less than the agreed amount.“After some mutual understanding, I release the heavy machineries back to mining camps last weekend.“If the talks are not fulfilled then I will shut them off permanently my customary owned land.Mr Sogago who is currently in Honiara admitted that he does not see any tangible development nor benefits from the mining operations on Western end of the Island.“This is the cheapest mining in the world.“Rennell Island is still the same remaining undeveloped lacking basic community services.The Rennell man epitomized the returns of the operations on the island just for “rice and noodle”.Re-elected Rennell Bellona Province MP Dr Tautai Agikimua Kaitu’u has made his stance clear: “To be honest, I don’t like destructive industries but the land tenure system is a setback for advocacy on environmental and conservative issues.“What should be done now is to cut good deals with the miners.“Operations are in full pendulum thus only option is to help landowners receive maximum of royalty from soils extracted from their land,” he said.“It’s the resource owners wish so provincial government and relevant stakeholders must be proactive in their dealings with payments and community service benefits,” he said.Caption: Abel Sogago.