Landowning tribes of the now closed Gold Ridge gold mine in Solomon Islands say they are about to receive a final royalty payment of 1.2 million US dollars through the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.
The Chairman of the Gold Ridge Community and Land Owners Council, Dick Douglas, confirmed the payment is being processed and says it will be distributed to the 16 tribal groups soon.
He says the payment may be the last one for a while and is calling on the various tribes to put their money into investments.
"That is the, the last payment of the royalty and this is the warning that I have also made to the members of the council and the tribes that we have to use it wisely and manage it wisely so that we can get our things back properly and invest it in a proper investments."
Dick Douglas says the landowners council will still be seeking government repayment for another royalty payment worth 2.5 million US dollars which went missing earlier this year.
The sun sets over the Port of Honiara in Solomon Islands. Photo: RNZI/Koroi Hawkins