LICENCES for mining and extraction of rock resources should be given by an agency to ensure faster application approval time and avoid duplication of work, says Lands and Mineral Resources permanent secretary Malakai Finau.
Mr Finau was speaking at the closing of the multi-agency standard operating procedure workshop on Neglected Development Minerals project in Suva yesterday.
He said this was a challenge that was being addressed by the relevant stakeholders.
The meeting discussed, among other things, licenses given out to gravel extraction companies.
“Rock is not a mineral, it is part of land and that is why we have the iTaukei Land Trust Board (iLTB) issuing licences and it would be easier if one agency grants the licences, but that’s where the complication is because it is classified as land,” Mr Finau said.
“iLTB has authority of native lands and on state land it is the Department of Lands and these two agencies have different processes and sometimes the investor is confused about where to go.
“And then the monitoring is done by the Mineral Resources Department that has the technical expertise for mining activities so that is why we are meeting, communicating and co-operating and this is something that we are only starting on now.”
Mr Finau said quarry companies and other relevant businesses had raised concerns on the long approval time of their applications.
“This emanates from the concern raised by the Fiji Roads Authority and use of rock resources for infrastructure development we have in Fiji, in particular building better national roads.”
“An average of 60 licenses have been given for river gravel extraction and gravel on land extraction.”
