BY NED GAGAHE
Opposition Leader Matthew Wale calls for stronger safeguards to protect Solomon Islands’ cultural and world heritage sites under the proposed Mineral Resources Bill 2025, warning that economic development must not come at the cost of the nation’s identity.
Speaking during the Bills and Legislation Committee Hearing on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Wale questioned officials from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on whether their submission to Parliament included measures to address the protection of cultural heritage sites from mining-related risks.
He advised the ministry to draw on lessons from Papua New Guinea, noting that in East Rennell, heritage site listings had slowed down or complicated the granting of bauxite mining licenses.
“If we have a cultural heritage site, or even a world heritage site like Lake Tegano, will this Bill give the level of protection needed so that no activity puts it at risk?” Wale asked.
In response, a ministry official acknowledged that East Rennell lacked national legislation to protect Tambu sites, with reliance instead on provincial ordinances.
Despite these efforts, sites still sustained damage due to weak legal frameworks.
He said this highlights the urgency of passing a National Heritage Bill, which is currently before the Attorney General, and stressed that heritage protection should be integrated into the new Minerals Bill as an “umbrella framework” to regulate destructive industries such as mining.
“There was no national legislation. That is why I am pushing for a National Heritage Bill. This is an opportunity to put that component into this Bill so that development, especially mining, does not destroy what is important to us,” the official said.
Wale welcomed the ministry’s input but pressed for a detailed written submission that sets out policy goals and, where possible, draft wording for amendments to the Bill.
He said Parliament must ensure that communities and heritage sites are safeguarded, stressing that cultural identity cannot be traded away for resource exploitation.
“We do need to understand the social and cultural impacts. We don’t want to gain the whole world and lose our soul. Our culture is part of who we are, and this Bill must reflect that,” Wale told the hearing.
The Committee will continue its hearings on the Mineral Resources Bill 2025, with submissions from stakeholders expected to shape in its final recommendations to Parliament.
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