Quote:
Originally Posted by suarezn
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...
|
I guess this is where most people in the DR don't know yet about the changes that were taking place under Fernandez's past and present administrations...
The placement of party members to posts which they lacked credentials/understanding of, as in the past, is not followed anymore...
The people behind the state's organs in charge of dealing with present and future mining operations in the DR are fully aware of the environmental risks and damages that these operations had caused in the past and could present in the future mining of our soils...
One great example of the determination and "stick to your guns" of the people in charge of representing the DR's best interest, is the long and ardent negotiations where the reps insisted on the point by point that Barrick assumed the responsibility of full cleanup left behind by the past mining interests in those locations and the continuance of strict standards (most even higher than the ones used in the US and CA today) to the extension of permits to operate the mines...
Barrick thought that by lengthening the negotiations by so long, they could pressure the DR into allowing their terms to be accepted in lieu of the slowing down economy in the regions and worsening of the economic capacity of the DR's industry. They thought wrong! As a matter of fact, each term advocated by the DR's organs was adopted atop newer regulations for employed personnel with the aid of OSHA and the UN in these events...
As it stands today, the mines slated to begin operations in the DR in the coming months/years, will have strict monitoring and follow-ups by the agency with outside observers included from both the DR and Barrick's.
Change takes time, but NTL is taking place in the DR...
As for mining operations already started, not yet! They're in the process of preparations to start operations which will take place with much press and official inauguration...
On a foot note here: Several oil explorations that have been taking place in the DR, have come up with promising results for internal and some external oil production. They also locate natural gas in at least 4 points, yet the amount is not on par to invest the money it would require to get it at such deeps.
The key word in the findings has been "amount"; the investment on export is the only interest of the exploratory companies as of today. The DR's gov understand this to the "t" and as such came up with the push to purchase the 50% controlled by Shell in the refinery to make the investment via the local stock exchange of the DR possible.
In a nutshell, the DR will offer anybody in the DR the chance to become an investor of the initial oil market in the DR to gain enough liquidity to start to pump the oil to satisfy the local consumption.
As for the export market, that's something best left to the continuing exploration of possible reserves by the foreign companies already license in the DR.
Ever wondered why the present administration is talking so much on the issue of adapting the use of natural gas in cars and home use???
(75)
