BY MORRIS NAFU

Landowner and Permit Holder, Apolonia Gito requests that the ownership of resources be vested upon resource owners and not the Government as side partners.

Gito made the statement before the Bills and Legislative Committee (BLC) at the National Parliament under Alluvial Miners Hearing yesterday.

Gito emphasised on “Part 1, Section 7 Ownership of Mineral subsection 1” of the draft Mineral Resource Bill 2025.

This subsection as quoted is “Ownership of a Mineral located in or on Solomon Island lands or Solomon Islands waters is vested on the people and the Government of Solomon Islands regardless.”

Gito calls on the rights to be vested in the hands of the people of the land and let the Government to act in support.

“Rights of ownership should not be equally shared and let all the rights to be vested upon the resource owning people,” she said.

She then further requests the Government to reconsider the Monarch rule, urging the Government to place the rights to the land owners.

Gito also mentioned Subsection 2 of the draft bill which reads as “In dealing with matters concerning minerals in Solomon Islands, the Government acts on behalf of the people of Solomon Islands and must act in the best interests if the people of Solomon Islands.”

In this regard, she said this where the government should be responsible and not extend its hands.

Meanwhile the Chairman of the BLC and Member of Parliament for West Are’are Constituency, John Maneniaru appreciates the concerns of all the land and resource owners present in the hearing and requests written submission to be submitted before Committee for further elaboration on the bill before tabling it on the floor of Parliament.

In a released Parliament statement, the Committee hopes to collect these submissions as evidences of its inquiry into the Bill and report to Parliament. The closing date for submissions is 4:30pm on Sunday 7^th September 2025.

Inquiry into the Bill will commence on Monday 8th September 2025.

The Mineral Resources Bill 2025 is regarded as a landmark piece of legislation that aims to modernise the country’s regulatory framework for mineral resources.

It seeks to establish a clear and accountable system for authorising and regulating exploration, extraction, and processing of minerals.

Key objectives of the Bill include:

-Balancing development and protection by supporting mineral exploration and extraction while safeguarding the natural, social, and cultural environment of communities.

-Respecting customary rights, including ownership, use, and occupation of land, water, and sea in line with traditional practices.

-Promoting environmental responsibility and sound land management in mining operations.

-Clarifying rights and obligations of landowners, communities, and industry stakeholders to encourage fair, harmonious, and mutually beneficial relationships.

-Securing economic benefits by ensuring fair financial returns that maximise value for present and future generations of Solomon Islanders.

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BY BEN BILUA

Thirteen members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) are preparing to sign the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) Treaty, a landmark move that will pave the way for the establishment of the region’s first international financial institution.

Speaking ahead of the signing, PRF General Manager Finau Soqo said the facility is designed to attract and manage international donations to support climate and disaster resilience programmes across the Pacific.

She explained that the institution will also play a vital role in international payments and trade facilitation for member states.

Soqo said the decision to establish the PRF as a treaty-based international financial organisation is to ensure that development partners and multilateral agencies have a clear legal framework to channel support into climate change initiatives.

“The reason behind setting up the PRF under a treaty is to provide easier and legal access for our partners who are willing to support climate programs in the Pacific,” she said.

Sogo said the PRF has secured USD 159 million in pledges, reflecting growing recognition of the region’s climate finance needs in the past 18 months.

She said contributions have so far come from countries including Saudi Arabia, Germany, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Nauru and the United States.

“What we’re seeing is that, because it’s a new concept, a new idea to invest in grants, our investors are dipping their toes in the water – they’re testing, so they’re coming in with single digit contributions,” Soqo said.

She added that the long-term target remains at USD 500 million, which would ensure the fund’s sustainability before grant disbursements begin.

Despite the cautious start, Soqo remains optimistic.

“I’m hopeful that more signatories will join the treaty on Wednesday,” she said, underscoring the importance of regional solidarity in securing climate resilience financing.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The review on Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Review of Regional Architecture (RRA) is ongoing.

Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said that PIF leaders will be discussing the Review of Regional Architecture (RRA) at the Leaders’ Retreat in Noro, in the Western Province.

The RRA involves the structure of institutions, processes, and partnerships focused on achieving the Pacific Islands Forum’s priorities, in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

The Post-Forum Dialogue (PFD) is a mechanism for selected countries outside the Pacific Islands region to engage in discussions with Pacific Leaders after the main Forum meeting.

“This review of the regional architecture is important in terms of the work of the organisations, CROP agencies included, including the review of the post-forum dialogue mechanism. That’s part of the review of the regional architecture,” PM Manele told local Media Thursday this week.

“I believe this review of the regional architecture will further put us in a good position as a region to address the many challenges facing us, but also to capitalise on the opportunities that are before the region,” said PM Manele.

Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Special Duties, Dr Jimmie Rodgers, said that there are two parts to the reviews.

“Three of my colleagues, Melanesia, we are representing, Polynesia represented by Samoa, and Micronesia by Macedonia. We were reviewing four things. One of them is political leadership and unity,”

“The second is membership of the Forum. The third one is the rationalisation of the regional organisations. And the fourth one is how do you pull the regions together to work more together in areas that we can,” said Dr Rodgers.

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BY BEN BILUA

Pacific leaders are preparing to endorse the Pacific Regional Labor Mobility Principles – a new framework that aims to protect the rights and wellbeing of seasonal workers across the region.

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s Team Leader of Trade, Natalia Patternot, told journalists on Saturday, September 6, 2025 that the initiative marks a critical step forward in safeguarding Pacific islanders engaged in overseas labour programs.

“Now, as we all know, labour mobility—our Pacific people—they are not commodities. So there lies the critical development of these principles.

“It’s to ensure that labour mobility continues to contribute to meaningful and sustainable economic development, social protection, as well as regional cooperation,” she said.

Patternot explained that the principles are designed as a collective approach, agreed upon by leaders, to improve conditions and experiences for Pacific workers.

She highlighted how labour mobility in the Pacific has evolved over the years—from unskilled seasonal work to opportunities in semi-skilled and certified sectors such as meat processing and aged care.

Patternot also highlighted that employment terms have also shifted from a few months to medium-term contracts lasting up to four years.

She expressed that some countries in the Pacific are now shifting from being the sending countries to being the receiving countries.

“The conversation on labour mobility has evolved quite significantly over the past decade. It’s an important opportunity, but with opportunity also comes challenges.

“Those challenges include risks of discrimination, exploitation, forced labour, and unfair recruitment practices,” she said.

Patternot said the principles are grounded in Pacific values and provide a foundation for stronger worker protections.

The final decision, however, now rests with Forum leaders.

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BY BEN BILUA

Changes in the United States’ foreign policy have placed renewed pressure on the long-standing Tuna Treaty between the US and Pacific Island countries.

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s Acting Director of Governance and Engagement, Salome Taufa, revealed this during her presentation at the Pre-Forum Media Training yesterday.

Taufa said the US Tuna Treaty remains a critical source of revenue for many Pacific nations, and disruptions to the agreement could have long-term consequences for small island states.

She said the Pacific region has been directly and indirectly affected when the US changed its policy.

Taufa said the issue had been raised during the Fisheries Ministers’ meeting, where members agreed to escalate the matter to the highest level for further deliberation.

She also highlighted efforts earlier this year to repair and strengthen relations with Washington.

“Early this year, there was a mission led by the Forum Chair, supported by the Secretary General, to the US. They had good meetings there. It was trying to reestablish and just trying to strengthen the relationship with the US. Of course, the U.S. Treaty was one that was on the agenda in trying to improve the relationship,” Taufa said.

She stressed that the Tuna Treaty is likely to feature on the agenda at the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting next week.

The South Pacific Tuna Treaty, which was signed in 1987 and entered into force in June 1988, allows U.S.-flagged purse seine vessels to fish within the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Pacific Island parties in return for access fees and U.S. government assistance.

The treaty is seen as an effort to balance U.S. commercial fishing interests with Pacific nations’ sovereignty over their marine resources.

Sixteen Pacific Island nations are parties to the treaty, alongside the United States. These include Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Over the years, the treaty has undergone several reviews. A major change came in 2016, shifting the framework to provide U.S. vessels with a set number of fishing days while allowing the U.S. to purchase additional access directly from Pacific states.

In March 2024, the U.S. and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) signed a new 10-year financial package following the expiry of the previous arrangement in June 2023. The agreement includes an annual $60 million contribution from the U.S. government, supplemented by industry fees, along with an additional $10 million in 2023 for economic development and climate change-related projects. The deal is set to run until 2033.

Despite this renewal, concerns remain over how shifts in U.S. policy may affect the stability and future of the treaty.

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