A team from the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD) within the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) has completed monitoring activities on mining tenements in Siruka, Choiseul Province, and parts of Isabel Province.
Director of the ECD, Josef Hurutarau, confirmed this during a press conference held at the Cabinet Office on Tuesday.
Mr Hurutarau said the monitoring report has been finalised and will soon be distributed to the companies involved for compliance purposes.
“The report looks at the conditions and requirements of their environmental management plans,” Mr Hurutarau explained.
The monitoring comes amid rising public concern over environmental destruction in Siruka, following allegations raised by Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI).
In a recent statement, TSI exposed Johnny Sy as the man allegedly behind the Siruka mining destruction in East Choiseul.
According to the organisation, Sy operates through two companies:
- Solomon Islands Mining Company Limited (SIMCL)
- Solomon Nickel Mining Company Limited (SNMCL)
TSI has called for full public disclosure of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports and company ownership records for all entities conducting mining operations across the country.
“The government’s inaction, coupled with the ability of individuals like Sy to establish multiple companies that evade laws and accountability, exposes serious flaws in the system’s capacity to enforce compliance,” TSI said in its statement.
TSI also urged the Solomon Islands Government and its relevant ministries to strengthen enforcement of existing environmental laws and ensure that the rights of landowners and affected communities are fully protected.
“The people of Choiseul — and indeed all Solomon Islanders — deserve to know who benefits from these operations, who is responsible for compliance, and how our natural resources are being managed,” the organisation added.
The Ministry’s upcoming compliance report is expected to clarify whether mining companies operating in Siruka and Isabel have adhered to environmental standards set under their approved management plans.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
