400 sign petition Villagers oppose application for magnetite prospecting licence

MORE than 400 villagers in Navitilevu, Ra, have signed a petition to the State voicing their objection to Siyuan Investment Pte Ltd’s application for a prospecting licence for magnetite in Viti Levu Bay.

The petition was signed off by Turaga na Tui

Navitilevu Ratu Vaula Vakawaletabua in a letter sent to the Mineral Resources Department on December 29 last year.

Siyuan Investment Pte Ltd has applied for a prospecting licence for the exploration of magnetite on 3375.77 hectares of land covering the tikina o Saivou, Naroko, Navitilevu and Navolau.

“We, the undersigned, of the villages of Navuniivi, Nayavuira, Veidrala and Nasau of the district of Navitilevu in the Ra Province hereby object to the issuance of the prospecting licence for exploration or even extraction for magnetite in Viti Levu Bay (Navitilevu Bay) by Siyuann Investment Private Ltd,” stated the petition letter addressed to the acting director for Mineral Development Department Raymond Mohammed.

“We object to the issuance of this licence for exploration or extraction.

“We, Navitilevu people, have the right to conserve, to own, to use and to control our traditionally owned lands and resources.

“With little to less consultations accorded to the communities by your department nor the company concerned about the planned exploration to even extraction, our communities would surely be affected by this process.

“The extraction of this mineral (magnetite) or any other mineral in Navitilevu Bay would create imbalances which will adversely affect the environment.”

The petition letter stated that exploration or extraction of minerals would have an impact on wildlife and fishery habitats, water, local climate and pattern of rainfall, sedimentation, depletion of forest and the disruption of the whole Navitilevu Bay ecology.

Mr Mohammed responded to Ratu Vaula and said the department would “revert following the expiry of the objection period” that ended on December 30.