Ann: Response to ASX Query Letter, page-40

I think Sumotomo deserve high respect, yes - they gave hugely .
I think everyone realises , I too always have , that SMM offered much more to the Isabel people and to the SI than our little Axiom could . In money and mining definitely .
The people likely have been evolving through all these years as well.
There were some regrettable behaviours . Imo . Though I cannot of course ever know .
(I believe , though am far far removed . Next time I’d get on a plane or something and go look. * Ethics and behaviour is everything* .
People are not only sneaky in just one area of their lives and dealings generally , if do witness disrespectful or below board ways of doing business .
Did Sumitomo truly work best with these people? , or is this more with regret of hindsight - people seem to like the best and easiest money fix ? Now they say - oh they were good ?
I’m not sure anyone there knows what they ‘want ‘ or how be best . They must grow past really parochial , interests and thinking )

Best longterm is if the people - take responsibility , choose wisely and respect how much has been done by all to date - I resent if they somehow divine they have the enormous input of the JORC and all work including camp, & at the time back when tenements held , even a loading dock ?
All previously built and done - axiom shareholders paid for ?
Company has cost a fortune to run there .

Hopefully the new cyclone steers clear of them next weekend . Forecast to head west to Gulf , North Qld & Aust East Coast .

Had enough I’m sure - no one who was longterm would suggest that Sumitomo were not potentially huge benefit to Isabel and the SI .

I cannot see how they ever ! would have built a processing plant though - never say never , and down the track .. well maybe .
If equitable anything is possible with community consultation and if all stakeholders are determining what be best for the future .

The HIG model really worked for example - it still didn’t all happen in the blink of an eye - everything generally takes years , and a lot of trialling and negotiation .

The Isabel people who take exception now - have as yet not even got to understanding and basically progressing towards mining . Add in greed including of interested other parties ? again - huge spanners thrown in, yet again with Kolosori proper .

There could be no way nearterm that any reputation-respecting company could go near the Solomons !
Unless they already were there and entrenched, commited / stuck between a rock and hard place with forwards being the only way to go there .
I thought Axiom was established and after a decade - there to stay .

IMO - NO other company will be heading for the SI anytime soon .

The IMF has also threatened to harden monetary stance and increase the rate of interest charged on low interest loans to the country .
IMF funds and loans - are ** marked for crucial infrastructure and development projects contribution **
It is news now - tough love being applied -
Tougher and less assistance ? - if the SI does not , now , lift its environmental standards.

The Solomon Islands needs to do for itself- I’ve said this repeatedly and had believed was occurring !
They MUST - lessen off , and cease the tragic ongoing pace of logging of the country’s native forest trees .
Logging still , after all that’s been said and ( ie. not !! ) Done ..
Concentrated care , assistance , enterprise advice and assistance and efforts by local Chamber to lift community organisation and initiatives- through the last additional 5 years that I’ve been watching- still , logging provides 70% of Solomon Islands GDP .
Logging also- is the largest percentage of population direct employment .
Standards are ( insufficiently ) or outright are unsafe .
**People have again been killed , and highly avoidable logging truck accidents in these last 6 mths .

The remainder of the income for the country - is this -I think mainly given from overseas aid ?
There is fisheries and a few traditional industries.

Re - education / and schools !
Australia- enormously has not only assisted - but established . NZ also , been there all the way . High schools established and the National University also . Some world standing research and efforts emerging.
Fiji and local South Pacific nations also much cooperation between - and Australia of course and other nations for higher education

Unbelievable- how suddenly - the country has proven to continue to have more corruption , still , then somehow we imagined still existed .

Old men in tribes , some beautiful in their concern overall for their people .
But others as well as people in positions of Power - seem to have unfortunately not always been of calibre , or behaved with insight for what should been best for the people beyond the organisation and country as a whole . Nor always with respect for their young people or women .
This will change likely - but overhang of self interest by people in positions still , needs be accountability to law and honesty paramount .

I’m not sure what can do about this - except keep ensuring education and basic health upkept .

Sumitomo donated their camp they built on Kolosori - to the Isabel people to be a local needed hospital .

Axiom also has done and given hugely !

People employed are paid good wages , trained , uniformed - AVQ shareholders have paid for all of this ! And much community help - of course.
As I understand .

They certainly don’t respect enough - shareholders been most hurt .
Over there- the SI is still a furfey .

There’s still no other way - except that the people do sort themselves out . I think there will be bigger changes as the young people continue to predominate there . They’ve a huge proportion of young people
The av. age ~ about 20 yrs old now ? I’m guessing ?
Majority of the population is 30 years of age and younger !

There also is not a large population - though will increase out to 2050 massively .
*Nowhere near one million people even , in the Solomon Islands *

They need set up for a good future - Now .
Keep their ways - sure . The culture and who they are.

But don’t hold back your younger people - and not tell the truth always , or fully care or absolutely not progress better endeavours .

Money doesn’t or can’t continue to grow on trees - this needs to be learned
(At least plant new forests . )

They are rich in a few resources including Nickel - hope mining starts well .
Axiom shareholders and Australians have been very committed here for so long .
I think we all very much believed in best future for the SI . And mutual respect and working together on Isabel Nickel projects .