if i was judge, page-5

'Get out'
WEDNESDAY, 27 JULY 2011 16:39
Landowners of San Jorge wants two of the nickel mining companies out of Isabel.


The landowners demanded Sumitomo and Axiom KB out of their island and instead wants a new company, preferably from Europe.

The call came after opposition leader, Dr Derek Sikua calls on the government to re-award Sumitomo the prospecting license to operate in San Jorge Island.

In an interview with The Solomon Star, a chief of San Jorge Simon Lifa said landowners of the island are sick and tired of this issue.

"We landowners totally disagreed with Sikua's statement to re-award Sumitomo prospecting license," said Chief Lifa.

They said they regret becoming trustees because they have not seen much favorable avenues forth coming to favour Sumitomo.

"If they knew they can convince us landowners, they should have the pride to impress us and make us feel secure.

"We the landowners are well versed with the company and its dealings and now we don't have confidence in them because the direction they are heading does not look right."

The landowners feel like they were treated as doormats.

They said it is not that they want money but the best deal out of their resources.

"We want to let the leader know that he does not know what is going on because he is not well versed with Sumitomo and does not deal directly with them.

"We landowners have talked and agreed to pull out our trusteeship.

"To change management as they were saying, who are we to change?

"They should with their wisdom see that this Island have people living on it. We are not that cheap," said the landowners.

They said this is history repeating itself here.

"Moreover the signing of documentation that the company gave landowners is like access agreement only and that does not look right."

The chief claimed the day Sumitomo arrived it lied to them.

"They just throw the agreement and within minutes it's signed and done.

"Just lately they come to my house trying to induce me. This is not the process we want.

"It is a negotiation process and must be absorbing, give and take and must be slow and comprehensive," said the chief.

He said Sumitomo claimed they were one of the richest companies in the world with 400 years experience in operation.

"However that did not reflect what they are like.

"They will argue they have the technology, and then why it takes them six years for prospecting.

"What are the hustles? If you claim you have advanced technology, who are you to try and fool us," said the landowner.

The landowners said administration is also dictated by some people.

They claimed different people looks after their affairs and have no representative in the offices of Sumitomo.

"That would walkover landowners' rights and will influence decisions since different interpretation of stories will be given to the Japanese."

Landowners are calling on politicians not to stick their nose or interfere and underestimate them because a lot of academics are in the rural areas.

"Our request is we want a new deal. And any new deal must be a cohesive thing.

Consultation with land owners must be done in the right way and manner.

"Not in a speed manner that is too fast for us to comprehend. Because we don't want deals and formalities done very quickly."

"That is the danger. Come down to us and speak with a language that is interpretable and not to come with high lawyers and said agreement is here sign it."

Land owners said they bear the pain for so long and claimed not at anytime trustees have held a meeting as to what is the development.

"We were suppressed for far too long and now want to come out."

"There is an invisible framework between the governments, cronies and the companies.

"Others will not see this invisible frame work but only landowners who directly involve in this see it."

They want a new deal because Sumitomo and Axiom have black dots on them with their dirty dealing with their cronies.

"We felt there is something rotten somewhere.

"We don't care whether they are millionaires, we just want them out. We want a clean feed on the bait," demanded the landowners.

Meanwhile the case of the two mining companies is understood to be before the courts.

And the rights of rightful landowner's decision to accept or reject a company over their land and resources must be respected by decision makers.





as you can see...this was written in late JULY........however does show that not all LANDOWNERS are happy with AXIOM.....also AXION has failed to get the needed clearance for the second part of the tenement........ALTHO may have happened in the last few days......