BY MORRIS NAFU
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has expressed serious concern following unrest at the Gold Ridge Mine site and has called on all parties to remain calm, exercise restraint, and prioritise community safety.
The Prime Minister is aware of damage to machinery at the site and emphasised that his immediate message is one of dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation, a statement by the PM Press Secretariat yesterday said.
“As a nation, land is central to our identity and way of life. While property destruction is illegal, these actions reflect strong emotions and a desire to be heard,” Mr Manele said.
“And to take these forward, we (all parties) must come together to dialogue and seek solutions within law and custom,” Manele said.
The Prime Minister appealed to GRML, chiefs, community leaders, and youth across Central Guadalcanal to maintain peace and prevent any further escalation, the statement said.
The Prime Minister encouraged patience and restraint while efforts continue to identify a path forward based on respect, dialogue, and understanding.
More than 30 machines belonging to the Gold Ridge Mining Ltd company were burnt and damaged on Tuesday night by a group of unknown people, police reported.
Police has since said it has the situation at the mine site under control.
Landowners speaking to Island Sun on Wednesday said the unfortunate incident was a result of growing frustration among members of the surrounding communities from continuous mistreatment by the company and police officers, outstanding issues between landowners and company.
The GRML company in a statement on Wednesday while condemning the incident, called for communities to cooperate with police and assured it was working with all stakeholders to identify and resolve the root causes.
