what's the hold-up?

In the past it's taken up to 6 months for a tenement renewal in Namibia - apparently due to administrative constraints. For MLS, it's approaching an 8 months delay in renewal. One might have expected that delays due to an overhaul of the Namibian mines department should reduce with the passage of time, rather than increase!

MLS has had the option to simply continue with exploration
- but I guess the Board would look smart when (if) the renewal comes through, & stupid if, for some unreasonable reason the tenement renewal were to be knocked back.

It's been sugested that nothing can happen currently as MLS is on holidays. Doubt this, as a publicly listed company is required to inform the market immediately of any (significant) news, & you can bet that MLS Board-members are able to receive any (significant) news (such as the granting of the tenement renewal). It is possible that currently most, even all, staff in Namibia of a ranking sufficient to issue a tenement renewal are on holidays .....

Over the past week or so now, there has been "support" for the stock - as if "someone" knows something. Perhaps those "someones" are in Namibia.

A tenement renewal should be a cut & dried decision, & the market should be informed immediately. Nil delays.

One might speculate that MLS might try to argue that the long delay in renewal has disrupted the progress of exploration & substantially reduced the 2 year (from May 25th, 2008?) exploration extension ..... & the MLS Board might argue that the 2 year exploration period should commence on the renewal .... or, at least, the expenditure required to satisfy the renewal period should be reduced .....

But, such an arguement would surely come AFTER the renewal is granted, & notification to the market of the renewal, under whatever conditions / disputes must still occur.

The Board believes it has done as much, even more, in the way of tenement exploration that is required for automatic tenement renewal. & the Board has probably informed the stakeholders / market of significant developments. Ie None. But, after such a long delay, should not the Board reiterate the Company's position?