The National Government has started compliance checks on all Gold Dealer Licence holders in the country, following the Prime Minister’s recent policy directive on gold dealing operations.
The checks are being carried out by the Mines Division of the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE).
A statement from the Government Communication Unit stated, Inspections have been completed on six of the ten current licence holders that were actively operating in Guadalcanal.
Three licence holders were found to be inactive, while one provincial operator is yet to be inspected.
The inspections look at monthly records and reports submitted by each licence holder, as required under the Mines and Minerals Act (MMA). Where reports are missing or incomplete, Mines Inspectors conduct physical checks to verify operations and compliance.
The government says any regulatory action affecting all ten licence holders will only be taken after the remaining operator is inspected and a full assessment is completed.
The inspections were a joint exercise with other law enforcement agencies, including the Labour Division and the Guadalcanal Province Enforcement Division.
The Labour Division had previously flagged labour-related non-compliance issues with some licence holders.
Over the next two months, all active licence holders found with compliance problems will be formally notified and given time to respond, ensuring due process and procedural fairness.
