The Leader of the Official Opposition Hon. Manasseh Sogavare MP says the Prime Minister has misled the public by announcing that licences for all gold dealers have been cancelled, when no lawful cancellation process appears to have been invoked.
Under the Mines and Minerals Act, a gold dealer’s licence is valid for one year and may be renewed on payment of the prescribed fee. The Minister may cancel a licence only if the holder is convicted of a relevant offence, or after a show-cause process for contravention of the Act, material breach of conditions, or insolvency-related events.
If that process has not been started, a public statement is not a substitute for the statutory process. As of today, 10 Gold Dealer Licences remain operational — none has been cancelled, no show-cause process has been invoked, and no evidence of statutory grounds for cancellation has been presented.
The Prime Minister therefore owes the country an explanation. Solomon Islanders deserve facts, not headlines. If the Government intends to reform the gold trading sector, it must do so lawfully, transparently and honestly.
The Opposition says this is not a minor slip of the tongue — it is a serious public misrepresentation affecting miners, dealers, investors, provincial stakeholders and public confidence in the administration of the law.
The Leader of the Official Opposition calls on the Prime Minister to immediately correct the record and tell the nation:
- Which specific Gold Dealer Licences have been cancelled.
- On what date each cancellation took effect.
- What statutory ground was relied on in each case.
- Whether each licence holder was issued a show-cause notice as required by law.
- Whether any appeal rights have been triggered under the Act.
If the Prime Minister cannot provide those answers, he should withdraw his statement and apologise for misleading the public.
The Opposition supports genuine reform of the mining sector, but reform cannot be built on false announcements. The rule of law must come first.
