Dear Editor – Your article of Solomon Star Issue No. 6686 entitled “RENNELL CHIEFS ACCUSES MINER OF TAMPERING WITH COURT CASE” is grossly misleading and need to be corrected, in order to avoid confusion.
From the outset, Mr Sanders has been involved or engaged in the Mining Industry in West Rennell in the past by engaging another company to do mining, but was unsuccessful.
Since mining work will start soon with some landowning group close to areas owned by Sanders family, members of his family wish to have their small land area consented for mining.
Prior to Sanders coming over to Honiara, we advise him that if he wants to work with us, he will need to withdraw from all his previous affiliations with our rival parties, who had been disputing us, which he was among them.
We even suggested to him if he thinks not to withdraw, rather send one of his brothers, who is free and neutral from affiliation with any mining or logging company, but he insisted that he will come to sign for the withdrawal.
Upon arrival, as agreed, we organise for him to sign but then he ask for more discussion and after we had some discussion he agreed to go ahead with the signing, and so when we ready to sign, he changed his mind.
In all fairness and proper course, we have advised him in good faith that since Mr Sanders had some issues with the company, it is vitally important that we need to clear them to avoid any conflict of interest.
We have talked to him politely without inducing or enticing him of what he has alleged in his article.
In fact the idea of withdrawing is a normal thing any person or anybody can do when dealing with issues legally.
So what is transpired is that we gave him a better approach when dealing with such matter.
In the meantime, we are still looking forward to work with Sanders and his family members in the future.
Our office is still opened for further dialogue to avoid any misunderstanding and confusion.
My appeal to Mr Sandres and other landowners who have the same kind of mentality is, to refrain from being allowing themselves to be brain washed or listen to false advices from other people, companies or media statement which could lead to prejudices.
However, it is timely, that we need to work together in order to achieve our development aspirations for better good of our people, islands and the province.
APID Media Desk
Honiara
