Ba Resource Owners Want 100% Royalty

The Government has a lot of work on its hands if the wishes of landowning units in mineral resource development are upheld.

Over the past few days, landowners of Navuniivi, Ra, and Namosi, have laid out their demands to the Government where mineral resources development is concerned.

Navuniivi landowners are up in arms over the continued publication of their land for mineral exploration.

In Namosi, where copper exploration continues, landowners want 50 per cent of the say in mineral development activity in the province.

At Votua Villge, Ba, where iron ore is being extracted, landowning units want 100 per cent royalty shares, "as they are the ones that have to contend with the negative impacts of the projects".

Alternatively, the Government can reduce its share of royalties, to subsequently increase the perentage of royalty for landowning units, Votua villagers said.

Amex Resources Limited was granted a 21-year mining lease in 2012 to extract iron sands from the Ba River delta, which the vanua o Votua own.

In the village's submission on the Mineral Exploitation and Exploration Bill, the villagers of Ba want an increase in royalty from 80 per cent to 90 per cent, and thereby reduce government share from 20 per cent to 10 per cent.

"The Government can always find other incentives from mining companies given the application fee set by the department to obtain licences and permits," Votua land owning units said.

Devil In The Detail

Developers in the mineral resource sector will have to team up with the Government to teach villagers a trade, Votua villagers said.

It is part of the deal if mineral resource development is to take place on their land.

Landowners also want the government to recognise their investment plans, where mineral resources development is concerned.

"The notice of renewal of licence must be enlarged into a bigger font to enable readers to understand and to be aware of any current situation," Votua villagers said.

Royalty

There was no clear indications of the royalty calculation and no specific guidelines.

The fair share of Mineral Royalties Act 201811 states that "any royalty must be distributed with 20 per cent going to the government, and 80 per cent of royalty to the owner".

"The landowners have raised the issue of unfair issuance on the distribution of royalties amongst the villagers," the landowners submitted.

"For a period of 12 years on the operation of the license, they have not received the full benefit."

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