Clan Members Benefit From Bauxite Payout

Sixty-seven members of the Serau clan of Nabiti Village in Dreketi, Bua, each received $488 in royalty for bauxite mining.

The monies, paidout by Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Jone Usamate, covers 80 per cent of their dues, as enabled under the Fair Share Minerals Royal Act-2018.

“A total of $32,600 was paid to 67 registered members of the Serau clan,” Mr Usamate said.

“Each registered clan member will receive $488.

“In 2018, the government had changed to give 80 per cent of royalties to landowners.

“This is a portion of the government’s appreciation to your free will and offering.”

Laisa Sayawa, a recipient of the pay out, said the timely disbursement, during this coronavirus pandemic, propelled her to start a business.

“The first payment was in 2018, with a payment of $900 which I used to renovate our house,” the single mother of four said.

Aurum Exploration Fiji Limited is rehabilitating the mined area in Bua.

Four-day tour

During a four-day tour of the Northern Division, Mr Usamate visited the Nawailevu mine rehabilitation site.

“The company planted approximately 160,000 pine trees which will benefit the iTaukei landowners in the near future,” he said.

“This is an example of value adding related to mining with the mine rehabilitation, taking into account the post-mining land use needs of the landowners.”

Aurum Exploration and Mineral Resource Department is the regulatory agency for the local mining sector in the mining and rehabilitation model set up at Nawailevu and Naibulu Bauxite Mines.

Mr Usamate said his Northern tour was aimed at identifying bottlenecked issues, while addressing issues related to the ministry’s service delivery in the North.

He visited the:

• Naiviqiri Jetty, which is used for the shipment of bauxite,
• Naibulu bauxite mine site,
• Dreketi main business centre,
• Standard Concrete Industries,
• Dreketi Hard Rock Quarry,
• Mataqali Devo field site, and
• Vakamaisuasua industrial subdivision