Dear Editor,

May I please respond briefly to Charlie Kieu of Kavieng who raised again like those whose views he support, say nothing to move anyone.

All I can say to Mr. Kieu is: "You liklik mangi no gut save ia".

I've reported extensively on the mining operations in PNG during my reporting days and never at any time that the managing director of Ok Tedi, for example, came out to talk about the lousy rate his multi-national consortium offered the landowners of PNG.

All the discussions which led to the signing of the development agreement were conducted in either the Boardroom of the Ok Tedi Mining Office or in Cabinet Office in Waigani.

Today, resource owners in PNG receive a lousy 23.5 per cent from foreign-owned and operated companies.

Pheonix International [SI] on the other hand gives landowners 50% - more than twice the prevailing rate in PNG where the Kavieng guy comes from.

My role is a freelance journalist, reporting what was agreed between the main stakeholders, that is the HOKOLA Landowners Association and Pheonix International [SI] Ltd.

They would be the right source to obtain anything further details about the deal.

In conclusion, let me say this: Solomon Islands does not see any value in anything Mr. Kieu or like-minded Kieus can offer in either the mining industry or any other area of development in this country.

Alfred