Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Francis Sade has welcomed Guadalcanal Premier’s endorsement of the “First Bite, Better Bite” principle, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to ensuring the nation’s mineral wealth delivers greater benefits to Solomon Islanders.
Hon. Sade said the GREAT Coalition Government intends for more value from the country’s mineral resources to remain within Solomon Islands.
He said the intention is to establish a Mining State-Owned Enterprise, a Mineral Holdings State-Owned Enterprise and a gold trading and buying framework through the Central Bank.
“These initiatives are designed to ensure that resource extraction drives national development, rather than merely accompanying it,” Hon. Sade said.
The Deputy Prime Minister also acknowledged the concerns raised over recurring fatalities at Gold Ridge, stressing the seriousness of the issue must not be overlooked.
“When resource wealth flows out while grief flows in, it is a clear reminder that minerals without justice do not enrich a people, they embitter them,” he stated.
Hon. Sade emphasized that fair compensation for landowners and meaningful national participation must be treated as fundamental requirements, not optional concessions.
“Fairness, dignity and inclusion are the foundation for lasting peace on our resource sites and for the wellbeing of the communities who own the land,” he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister said this approach reflects the Government’s broader policy direction, shaped by the hard lessons of Guadalcanal’s own experience.
