THE government has poured all efforts to systematically address risks posed by the Gold Ridge Mine tailing dam with the help of the new GRML management.

Prime Minister’s Office Chief of Staff Mr Robson Djokovic said the government and new GRML management along with stakeholders have been working closely in managing the situation, ensuring monitoring and evaluation of the tailing damp are carried out regularly.

He said the new GRML management has been involved in facilitating and managing GRML storage facility.

Mr Djokovic explained that there are always risks in mining development but the government is determined to mitigate the risk with more organised procedures so that safety standards are met.

“The greatest risk is doing nothing at all,” he said.

Mr Djokovic said the government is collecting support from experts in ensuring necessary steps are taken to manage the tailing dam and future hazards.

He said the undertaking is part of the government’s approach into much needed plan to re-open Gold Ridge Mining.

Mr Djokovic said various consultations have been carried with the latest expected to roll out this year to identify issues and mitigate the issues accordingly.

He said the government is listening to views from various stakeholders especially those located close to Gold Ridge to develop a systematic platform that would lead to a successful re-opening of Gold Ridge.

In the meantime Mr Djokovic said mutual understanding has been reached with lots of hard work from both stakeholders and government in ensuring compromise solution are achieved from the standing differences.

He said progresses are also made in ensuring investors comply with regulatory legal requirement.

Last week the Cabinet Committee on Gold Ridge finalised framework to ensure relevant framework is in place for the mine to re-open – the project is one of the main developmental targets of the Democratic Coalition for Change Government (DCCG).

Task at hand is for the Cabinet Sub Committee for Gold Ridge on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government to collect, identify and mitigate issues one at the time through negotiations between the resource owners, investor and the national government that are currently in progress towards reaching an amicable settlement.

According the Prime Minister’s office, the final round of formal consultations with GRML was scheduled to take place on Monday January 23, 2017, followed by a series of awareness programmes next month.

The positive outcome of these talks will ensure the Gold Ridge Mine is re-opened as soon as is practically possible that could see the Gold Ridge Mine reopened within the tenure of the DCCG.

Mr Djokovic made these statements in an interview with Richard Ewart of Radio Australia yesterday.