I am also an avid follower of the debate between Sasako and Saiki or any debate that concerns the property of indigenous Pacific Islanders Islanders, be they be fish, logs or gold. It is indeed important that a healthy debate on the mineral resources of Solomon Islands be encourgaged, after all it is the long term future of Solomon Islanders that is at stake and not the investors who are only in the country for a short period of time.

In view of the above, I do not see anything amiss with the question posed by Saiki. All he wishes to know is from where the 50/50 share of the profit will be deducted - gross profit or net profit. It is an important question that must be answered for the benefit of Solomon Islanders. Further more, the proposal by Sasako for a debate (which Saiki took up) is a healthy one. After all there are issues regarding the issuing of licence and what it entails remained blurred and fuzzy. Such a debate would be an opportunity for these issues to be clarified. Also, it would be an opportune time to see whether Pheonix International is the best company equiped to to carry out gold mining should that mineral be found. Therefore, I suggest Kelvyn Alp and Pheonix International be invited to the debate.

At the moment it is the perception that something may not be quite right with the way the license was issued, what the license entails and the credibility of the the company that needs to be set right. I see such a debate as a way of addressing and setting right these issues.