Fiji’s first bauxite mine - Opens in the North

People of Bua celebrate mine opening

writer : CAROLINE RATUCADRA

The people of Bua rejoiced yesterday to mark the opening of Fiji’s first bauxite mine.
It was an event that will be jotted down in the province’s history books.
Opening the mine at Nawailevu, Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said the day marked a significant milestone, not only for the people of Bua and Vanua Levu, but for Fiji.
“It is certainly a day to celebrate,” Commodore Bainimarama said.
He said the mine was a result of Government’s efforts to make Fiji an ideal place for scalable international investment.
This investment, he said, would bring about economic strength and modernised the nation.
For the Nawailevu Bauxite Mine, Aurum Explorations (Fiji) Limited (AEFL) has paid almost $1 million to landowning units.
A remaining $2m to be paid out within two years, Commodore Bainimarama said. The five landowning units (mataqali) Naicobo, Noro, Nalutu and vanua Navakasiga and Bua, received $986,930 from AEFL as premium and first lease payment.
Apart from the income earned from lease and premium payments, other direct benefits include improved infrastructure and better access to health services and education for the villages.
The mataqali Naicobo of Nawailevu Village in Bua received $577,050, while mataqali Noro of Naviqiri Village in Navakasiga received $32,950.
Mataqali Nalutu of Baravi Village received $101,930 while fishing rights owners of Navakasiga and Lekutu received $275,000.
“I am pleased to note that benefits are being progressively met with the partial release of lease payments, the construction of infrastructure like roads and mobile telecommunications,” the Prime Minister said.
He said there were ongoing discussions with the company to see that employment and contracts for local trucking and catering businesses would be prioritised.

The Prime Minister said Government was working towards providing electricity for Nawailevu next year.