IT is very worrying to follow and learn the undertakings of the Nende Resources Development Association’s (NRDA) and their fight over the registered land LR616 and LR716.
This land has become a center of row between Zing Lin Timbers and Rolland Tang Timbers in the recent months.
The two land plots hold a plantation that was planted by government of Solomon Islands.
NRDA start off the association’s fight correctly, but not now as the weapon used is also poisonous.
The NRDA Declared Goals is getting back the land title (grant) from Xiang Lin Timbers and giving it back to the rightful people; however behind this tune is NRDA Hidden Goals.
The hidden Goals are more dangerous than the declared ones, as usual, and these goals are slowly coming up to the surface.
Most other landowners like us are looking on as watchers while this land deal game is being played by a handful of landowners who formed the association; this is the big reason why I am questioning NRDA.
The association was born late last year when the then premier of Temotu Province stood alone and gave the grant to harvest the plantation on these land plots to Xiang Lin Timber.
This handsome gift had become possible because prior to this, the National government gave the title of the land back to the Temotu Provincial government; an action that is very sad in itself.
It is sad because when the SIG acquired the land in the beginning they do not acquire it from the Temotu provincial government, but rather from a group of landowners who were later named and registered as Trustees.
Some of these people are still alive today.
Allow me to put across an Illustration Picture Story.
“The situation is like Mr Alpha borrowing a bush knife from Mr Bravo; later after three days when Alpha wanted to return the knife after using it (rather after being repeatedly reminding him to do so), Alpha quietly hand it over to Mrs Allite A, his 02 (today’s Solomon Slang in terms of family; a second wife) who is Mr Bravo’s Neighbor.
Allite did not care at all and gave away the knife on commission bases to Mr Chali. Mr Aalpha thought he had returned the knife but later realize that the knife was being further transacted through black-marketing by Ms Allite to another party – Mr Chali, who is part of the biggest and strongest group called Daka.
Daka group originates from the skies and are flyby traders from a different island and they are indeed powerful and very tricky.
Firstly, this action by Alpha defies all protocol; common sense; custom; values and original understandings and relationship of the initial intention of the land deal (Knife Borrow) and these surely creates argument.
The inclusion of another party the third party (Mr Chali) jeopardizes the whole land deal. In terms of responsibility and obligation; the SIG (Mr Alpha) failed the land owner (Mr Bravo) badly.
The original arrangement is faulty now but the solution is very, very simple as portrayed by the small story above.
“MR. ALPHA GET THE KNIFE FROM CHALI AND GIVE IT BACK TO BRAVO!
If there is difficulty because of the existence of a piece of rule (regulation or law), then this piece of rule or law should be amended later or thrown out later.
Because ACTION now! nogud Chali meltim naef ba go lo samting difren mei be a bolt en nut who nao savi; and then the whole argument is no use in the end.
Please be reminded that when the land was acquired then, there was no association.
This now is the “Root Cause” of what seemed to hinder a proper and rightful transfer.
And also please there are these legitimate Trustees carried inside the registration to receive the land back. Why not give back to them and NOT just that QUIETLY but ceremonial? Common Mr Alpha…
It was this reason the NRDA birth, and is to argue (LO) Bravo’s case.
However, the NRDA opened its arms to another Daka the Rolland Tang Timbers (or whatever the name of his company) Ekoo. The NRDA obtained its fighting powers or ammunitions million-fold to fight the battle. And now they are engaged in a fight; Chali and Ekoo.
The Bush Knife is yet to arrive at Mr Bravo’s household!
However, the Association had in the past had hope in is now fighting for Mr Ekoo with millions of dollars involved.
The NRDA as a newly formed body and not one of the parties to the original land deal (Parties A,B&A2: A=Alpha(SIG); B=Bravo(LO); A2=Allite (TPG)); no longer fight with the original goal declared to us; the landowners; to fight with and for us.
NRDA now fight Mr Chali for and on behalf of Mr Ekoo, so that they can log the land area. These (Parties C=Chali (XLT); D=Daka (Loggers) E=Ekoo (Rolland Tang); NRDA) are newly formed groupings and are outside parties of the original land deal standoffs.
The issue lay idle now as everyone is in a fight. Mr Alpha please you give the land back to Mr Bravo if it would mean you Deregister the Land. Go and get it from Chali and give it back please.
The association now is like cow or horse with a steel rope in its nostrils that can be led around by pulling the rope. This rope belongs to Mr. Ekoo, and this grows bigger, tougher and stiffer every day as money is daily painted onto it.
Since 2015, the association engaged 2 rooms in Hibiscus Motel in Lata Township, and some prestigious motels in Honiara….it engaged transport network throughout the Santa Cruz island, and in; out and around Honiara inclusive land, air and sea transport; they host numerous well-catered-for parties, meetings, celebrations, party allowance and tips, expensive food, beer etc… with get-away-a-gifts.
Any simple brief listening to any of their meeting will fetch for the listener; weather you are a LO or just a passer-by; at least $200 up to $4,000 NRDA members and even more.
The chairman of NRDA is still in Honiara under heavy per diem for two months now.
Fine rumors had it that Rolland Timbers even purchased sets of Milling Machines and Vehicles for your own or association?
Come out and clarify this. I don’t care about these BUT bae you fala deductim lo royalties blo who No waku’s money is for free 1,000’s may be yes, but not millions.
The hope which seemed to be cultivated then as an expected result from NRDA is now even more risky and I and many others on behalf of the main Original land owners will not sleep over it anymore.
If we do not rise up now, we are bound to be robbed of our land by the NRD Association who claims to represent every landowner in this land deal.
In actual fact how the association was formed we do not know anything about it.
We realised later that it was all funded and engineered by Rolland Tangs Timbers and we thought then, anyhow, at least it was formed and we looked up to it to do things right. Today we realize the truth behind it.
The association strongly promised that it will fight for the crown land and it will be handed down to the original landowners before any development; which MEANS HARVESTING of TIMBERS or LOGGING is done on it.
Time had passed now and the tune of the association is changing.
The association is doing the opposite of what it told us first.
They advanced a lot of money more than any association in this country; good information source has it that, it has by passed $2 million; and this act makes the association already lost the meaning and status being a good association.
All these are used by a handful of few people in the association BUT how will this be refunded?
We are disputing the association in the strongest term and are putting across to you these points of views:
1. If the association belongs to the land owners; WHY DID YOU DO AWAY WITHOUT SOME LANDOWNERS WHO OWN MAJOR PARTS OF THE FOREST PLANTATION?
2. A Land Transfer Policy Paper discussion was intentionally scheduled by the association to be discussed on the 29th Dec. 2015, in our community Nea Nemboi community, on a date 29th December 2015) where the community was fully engaged in a custom feast – A two year planned program. I hired a truck for $1,500 to go across the Santa Cruz Island to meet the facilitator and argue the case. The Transfer Policy Paper meeting was cancelled and we do not have any input in the transfer policy.
3. We, most of the original landowners would like to let the government know that the Nendo Land Owners Development Association have committed an investor with millions of dollars and land owners never know about this issue because the land owners never know how the association was formed and by who.
4. According to the land transfer policy on the cap. 5 Section 5.7 para 2 Proven biological son or daughter or next of kind identified by a trust worthy chief or priest or a pastor (may need DNA testing). Great. Are you sure this is not over stepping the founding customs and valued cultural standings based on which we own these lands?
5. Since you have committed an investor with millions of dollars, how can you refund the investors’ money? Xiang Lin Timbers spent less and now is licensed. Why do you hate him so much? Aren’t they the same people? Loggers? Or do you want the association to hold and manipulate the license against land owners?
6. The association, at first you said in Nea Meeting “You Must Not Talk About Investor But Just Only The Land Transfer” and now you are talking about Rolland Tang. Rolland is not our preferred investor.
7. The association, where is Rolland Tang Timbers office or Rolland Tang office in Honiara? We are mindful of logging brokers in the country. They work with land owners to arrive or achieve the Felling License only and they sell such concessions on commission bases, and tactfully ignore prior conditions reached by brokers with landowners
8. Since we landowners who never receive money from Rolland Tang or whoever will hold the steel rope from the NRDA nose drills, we will never consent to him. How you and your committee use the money look likely you do not care about landowners royalties
9. While SIG will be responsible to correct and reverse the commitment to Xiang Lin Timbers administratively as assured by the NRDA; please make the title of our respective Lands in the LR616 & 716 are exactly handed back to us. Be rest assured that there is an association coming through for you to transfer land identified land plots
10. All the land owners who share the same concern come, come join and register with us so that your title of your land involves your discussion – due permission.
Please NRDA, do not fight for a waku. Do not intend to register a company and obtain a Felling License. We are observing an ever growing steel rope coming from your nose and Rolland pulling on one end.
Your fight is only to transfer the land to us and that is all the purpose the NRDA as you declare it to us and it was registered to undertake. You even hide away from us your registered constitution, yes because it is not for the public of land owners but a business plan of the one who owns the steel rope Rolland is pulling on.
My group and I will not join your association anymore since your fight has changed from “our fight” to “your fight”.
Also that NRDA you are eating my meat already, are you really intending to give me only the bones? We are organising daily now to make sure you doing what you publicly said that you will do.
With due respect let me remind the NRDA that I had once in 2015 lashed out against Rolland Timbers, a case which the NRDA asked for an apology and an up-to-today outstanding compensation claim because of my language then.
May I here once again publicly apologise for that incident. You will know now that I suspicions are perfectly true
May I finally caution the NRDA; the SIG and other interested that the previously customary lands, that my tribe/clan owned and other lands members of my group owned; which became part of the LR 616&716 registration during the time in the past it was taken away and registered by SIG is not part of the NRDA Logging dealing and will never or shall never become part of it.
We are asking this land to be deregistered so that we own them again and NOT to be given under NRDA care. NRDA you are FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING that you had GIVEN AWAY; or it is like you spending your money before you earn it.
The Commissioner of Land, the PMO please, be careful with our land because we have the best Development Plan around in Santa Cruz island in our hands right now, and it stemmed out from this land which is our land.
The NRDA do not have any development plan and we are registering our group shortly this is because now we seem to listen more on new groups as such.
NRDA come out in the media or public of Santa Cruz and clarify your moves.
We are watching!
By WILSON MENATETI
Temotu
