Solomon Islands: Gordon Darcy Lilo rejects allegations in Rennell/Bellona bauxite mining dispute

The former Prime Minister of Solomon Islands and current Member of Parliament for Central Honiara, Gordon Darcy Lilo, has strongly refuted allegations concerning the bauxite mining controversy on Rennell Island in the Rennell/Bellona Province.

Hon. Lilo’s response follows statements made during a recent parliamentary session by the present Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele, and Hon. Bradley Tovosia, Minister of Mines, Energy & Rural Electrification.

Gordon Darcy Lilo. Gordon Darcy Lilo (born 28 August 1965) is a Solomon Islander politician who served as the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from November 16, 2011 to December 9, 2014.

On December 19, 2024, the Prime Minister asserted that the contentious bauxite mining issues on Rennell were a legacy of the Lilo-Maelanga administration. Echoing this claim, the Minister of Mines pledged to disclose further details regarding the purported mismanagement.

In a firm rebuttal, Hon. Lilo has called on both leaders to provide solid evidence to support their accusations.

Hon. Lilo asserted, "I urge you to provide any proof against me or my deputy at the time."

“The Prime Minister must demonstrate that either my deputy, Hon. Maelanga, or I pressured the mining board. He will find no such evidence."

Hon. Lilo expressed concern that the Prime Minister may be receiving misguided advice from his advisors. He underscored the importance of relying on factual evidence before making inflammatory statements and cautioned that such claims could have profound implications for the Prime Minister's Cabinet members.

He explained that during his administration, the proposal to eliminate export duties had been brought to the attention of both the Finance Minister and the Minister of Mines.

“We concluded that zeroing the export duty was unfeasible. In fact, we recommended a rate of 20 per cent, similar to the 25 per cent applied to round log exports. However, the subsequent government, which took office after 2014, chose to zero it out,” the Ex-Prime Minister recalled.

Three years ago, a former senior government official reported that mining operations in the Solomon Islands owed millions in unpaid taxes and royalties. Subsequent reports revealed that mining companies had failed to pay taxes or royalties on one-third of their exports over the preceding five years.

Image credit: The Guardian

Information credit: Solomon Star; The Guardian; Wikipedia