SUVA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- As environmental damage continues to draw attention, the Fijian government is working to increase penalties for illegal mining.

Timoci Samisoni, deputy secretary for the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources, told local media on Monday that the planned law changes would close loopholes that have allowed unlawful extraction to continue, adding that feedback from consultations indicated growing frustration over weak enforcement.

Samisoni stated that the reforms will place environmental protection at the core and establish robust biodiversity conservation measures and benchmarks.

To ensure landowners are fully informed, the ministry will mandate regular awareness and outreach activities to demonstrate the commitment to the reform process, he added.

Samisoni said the government is expected to carry out further consultations to strengthen oversight and enforcement across the entire mining sector. ■