Being from Cotui I'm torn between the pressing need for jobs in this area and the potential for environmental disaster. I know that this company is going to leave us with a huge pollution problem (way worse than Pueblo Viejo) as the gold they are now going to mine requires the use of sulphuric acid, cyanide, and other deadly chemicals. With little to no enforcement from the environmental authorities why would they even worry about doing things the right way and cleaning up after themselves?
The most important body of water in the province (Presa de Hatillo) is very close to where this mine sits and I'm not convinced there is not going to be runoff of these chemicals into this water. This will be a darn shame as this lake has huge potential.
In the end is a moot point as they have already started operations (i.e. my brother in law who is a heavy machinery operator is already contracted to work there and already started work a few weeks ago).
There are many powerful people in Cotui and other parts of the country supporting this as they will get their piece of the pie and that's all they care about. Us Cotuisanos will be left holding the proverbial polluted bag...
|