Landowners demands compensation for alleged breach of agreement

THE COUNTRY'S only mining operation, Gold Ridge Mining Limited (GRML), in Central Guadalcanal came to a stand-still all day yesterday after unhappy landowners blocked employees from getting to the mine site. The landowners demanded immediate dialogue with GRML before the road block they put up at 4:00 am can be cleared and six hours later negotiations began.

Landowners from Uluna Sutahuri Tribe are disputing a portionof their land at Valepami near the mine site that was now used by GRML for the relocation of displaced villagers at the mining lease area.

The landowners argued that GRML breached its agreement by constructing 12 houses at Valepami for relocation purposes.

They said the Valepami land which is inside the mining lease area was acquired for mining purposes in the 90’s and not for relocation of displaced villagers following the acquisitioning of the mining lease area.

The landowners said they want compensation from GRML for not honouring its agreement although the amount sought is negotiable.

They said they have been raising this issue with GRML since the beginning of this year but nothing concrete eventuated and their last resort to make the company listen to them was putting up the road block.

When Island Sun visited Valepami yesterday morning the road block was cleared although they eagerly waited by the road side for the outcome of the negotiations at the mine site further inland.

Negotiations at the mine site later switched venue to Honiara where the parties sought clarifications to the definition of ‘mining lease area.’

Attempts all afternoon by this newspaper to get comments from GRML over yesterday’s road block was unsuccessful.

But yesterday’s stop work by GRML will result in the company losing tens of thousands of dollars for loss of business.

Also last Friday, GRML dealt with three road blocks put up by landowners along the Tinahulu River demanding compensation from the company after the pipe carrying cyanide from the mine site to the tailings dam for treatment burst and was believed to spill into the Tinahulu River.

dated Wednesday, 17 August 2011 12:22 administrator