Calls for action at Solomons mine

Transcript

Landowners in Solomon Islands living below the country's closed gold mine are calling for swift action to drain the mine's tailings dam as heavy rains continue in the country.

The chairperson of the Gold Ridge Community and Land Owners Council, Dick Douglas told Koroi Hawkins the tailings dam walls are still holding.

However he says the government and Australian mine owner St Barbara need to get their act together and start the de-watering process.

DICK DOUGLAS: Well the tailings dam it's holding, it's coping up very well, the wall is very strong it can contain that. The only thing we really, really need is the treatment plant to treat the water into the river. That is the only important and priority of the TSF (Tailings Storage Facility) at the moment and the people living down below from the tailings dam, the downstream people are so, very concerned of the heavy rainpour during this season and during this period.

KOROI HAWKINS: And is there any indication of when that treatment plant is going to be brought in?

DD: Yes well the indication here is that the SIG, Solomon Islands government has to give in the letter to the St Barbara so that they can quickly get into fix the treatment plant. But there is some understanding between the SIG and the company at the moment they are still on the discussions and they are from the ministry of environment and from the positions of the government to get them the work to be done on the tailings on the TSF (Tailings Storage Facility)  at the moment.

KH: And for yourselves with the mine future, what is the indication that you are getting or what is it that you would like from government?

DD: At the moment there's no very clear indication what would the government, but I know that the company is putting an offer to the government for the government to be responsible and selling this. And they are prepared to sell the company and they are putting an offer to international investors who are interested to get this offer from the St Barbara but as I know there are some arrangements between the Solomon Islands government has already been done, but to the positions of us, we are yet to come to the table and reach an understanding in the (inaudible) parties.

KH: For the landowners council how important is it, and for the communities around Gold Ridge that this operation be brought back?

DD: Well, very important for the reopening of the project because we have an outstanding, our outdating claims are still with the Solomon Islands government and with the current operator St Barbara. If any successful operator wish to take over the prerequisite of the reopening is they have to meet the demands of the land owners.

Dick Douglas says those demands include among other things an increase in royalties, the construction of schools and clinics and more resettlement land for displaced landowners.

In recent months, St Barbara has been calling on the government to approve the de-watering process to no avail.

The Australian miner says de-watering the dam will minimise the flood and environmental risks it poses to communities living downstream from the mine.