WINWIN given 14 days to respond to ‘show cause notice’ with license at stake

breaking...Winwin Investment Solomon Islands Ltd has 14 days to respond to a show cause notice, why its mining license should not be cancelled after it was found that it breached the Mines and Minerals Act by encroaching into rival miners’ Gold Ridge Mining Ltd’s tenement.

The Director of Mines Office confirms to SBMOnline that the Minister of Mines Bradley Tovosia has signed the letter of show cause and delivered to Winwin Investment Solomon Islands Ltd on Wednesday, which also operates in Central Guadalcanal.

The action was taken after Gold Ridge Mining Ltd complaint that Winwin Investment Solomon Islands Ltd had encroached into a tenement that they have a prospecting licenses over.

The Director’s Office said upon receiving the complaint, her officers were sent to inspect the site and identified that there was a breach by Winwin.

That report was sent to the Mines and Mineral Board to deliberate on and they concluded by recommending to the Minister to cancel Winwin’s Mining Lease.

What is a show cause?

Under the Act, 71.-(1) The Minister on the advice of the Board may suspend or cancel a permit, licence or mining lease in the event that the holder-

(a) contravenes any provisions of this Act or any regulations made thereunder;

(b) commits a material breach of, or fails to comply with or observe, any provision of his permit, licence or mining lease unless such breach is due to an event beyond his reasonable control which could not have been. These are amongst the actions taken by the minister under the act.

In the letter, the minister has asked Winwin to justify why he should not cancel their Mining Lease or License.

The Director’s Office said their director could not elaborate further as this is still the ‘show cause’ period.

• News@SBMOnline2024