Attorney General recommends cancellation of mining licenses on Rennell Island

The Attorney General Chamber is recommending cancellation of mining licenses on Rennell Island.

A report produced by the Attorney General this week points to maladministration and irregularities in the granting of mining leases to Asia Pacific Investment Development (APID) and Bintang Borneo for the bauxite deposit on west Rennell.

Apparently, there was no recommendation or advice from the Mines and Minerals Board to the Minister of Mines to grant mining lease to both companies.

The correct procedure would be for the Board to deliberate on their applications and make recommendations to the Minister.

The Minister having received the recommendation from the Board would proceed to decide accordingly. Granting of mining lease in the absence of recommendations from the Board is a breach of the Mines and Mineral Act (Cap.42)

There are claims that these companies failed to conduct proper awareness on Rennell Island before undertaking prospecting, failed to expend the promised amounts on infrastructure development,failed to conduct proper Surface Access Agreement (SAA) negotiations with all landowning groups, identifying their boundaries, and taking care to identify the right signatories for the SSA.

There was an issue of lack of proper consultation from the beginning, both companies were granted a mineral license on the island and people were under pressure to accept what decision has already happened.