MEMBER of Parliament (MP) for Rennell Bellona Dr Tautai Angikimu’a Kaitu’u has highlighted on the floor of parliament the need to help resource owners benefit fully from their resources.
Dr Kaitu’u said loggers and miners entered agreements with resource owners but did not honour the agreements resulting in resource owners at the losing end of the agreements.
He said the government ministry responsible should help resource owners with their agreements with logging and mining companies.
“I think the responsible ministry should help locals and landowners to ensure these agreements are carried out,” Dr Kaitu’u said.
He said in Rennell, logging and mining are now “out of place”.
“As we speak we have traditional leaders, church leaders and local politicians who are now carrying out logging in other people’s land,” the MP said.
“What I’m saying here is we need the ministry to help and assist the landowners to get the maximum benefit from their resources.”
By WILSON SAENI in Auki
