A recent announcement by Environment Minister (MinAmb) Yubiri Ortega de Carrizales that gold mines in Las Claritas and Kilometer 88 could not be exploited because they are within the Imataca Forest Reserve, has developed into an acute economic crisis, according to a warning issued by leadership, business and indigenous people in the affected area of southeastern Venezuela.In effect, the Minister's announcement paralyzes work on the Las Cristinas and Brisas del Cuyuni projects which were under construction ahead of the awaited start of mining at the respective plants. The San Isidro community alone has hoped for more than 4,000 jobs in the first phase, leading later to more than 1,500 direct jobs.
Unidad Minera del Sur directors Pablo Zambrano and Antonio Rivas have told El Diario del Guayana that the anguish of many local people is palpable; while Ydalis Jimenez, Zenaida Parra, Victor Calderon and others agree that the Minister's announcement "frustrates the expecvtations of the people" and "creates social-economic ill-will that could generate a general crisis."
Zambrano and Rivas says that the proposals to develop mining at Las Cristinas and Las Brisias del Cuyuni would not damage the environment which is already deforested. "As regards realities in the area, we should mention that there is a union of small-scale miners organized in a joint development involving industrial, small-scale and artisanal mining. This model has been applied on a voluntary basis. If the government takes this into account, major problems with small-scale mining will be obviated.
"If the Minister of Environment had taken the trouble to visit the area and investigate how people in Las Claritas and Kilometer 88 live, she would have found that these people are very much involved in gold mining."
"When she argues that mining in the Imataca must not affect the ecology , she must realize that the areas occupied by two major projects such as Las Cristinas and Brisas del Cuyuni have already been affected for more than thirty years. The start of these two projects would have no affect on anything. Any affect has already occurred and, moreover, the projects provide for the preservation of the environment. Her decision was taken from an office, without regard for reality. We must ask the minister, what will 10,000 local people do ... the only activity these people know is mining."
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Venezuela is facing the most difficult period of its history with honest reporters crippled by sectarianism on top of rampant corruption within the administration and beyond, aided and abetted by criminal forces in the US and Spanish governments which cannot accept the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people to decide over their own future.
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Hello, can someone tell me after all the years KRY has been waiting and planning to mine Las Cristinas ,where was she , Carrizales ,on vacation or sleeping ?? Apparentily she dosen't know her job or do it . Why did she wait until now to say --no permit-- . I think she is an oppisition Leader against President Chavez and if I were him I would ask her if she just woke up and then I'd fire her on the spot. It's no wonder no one wants to invest in Venezuela , no one knows what they are doing from one minute to the next. Every time you turn around they change the rules. All the Lies about getting permit and all the waiting , and all the money lost by investors . I know you could care less.
ReplyDeleteI thought President Chavez would have pushed the permit through right away , has he been to the mineing area yet ?? These people need Jobs and they need food and have been looking forward to all this. Something stinks about this whole mineing deal and there he sits , it's no wonder his people vote against him, he don't move quick enough on the right things . Food and jobs are a must and rrom what I hear , both are in short supply . I can't for the life of me understand how this countries Government thinks . Socialisim is good until the Government runs out of money .When that happens , watch out for the People . Socialisim is not a Democracey in any aspeck , the rich support the ones sitting on their buts and getting the free hand outs. When a Government supplys everthing to the people , they become the Slaves to the Government . Here is a good example-- You see wild pigs in the woods, you start putting corn there for them to eat and every day they will come back for more. Then you put a fence on just one side , the pigs will come and see the fence and will look around to check things out and then will go and eat the corn and soon every pig around will be there eating the corn. Now you put another side to the fence and the pigs will stop and look again to check things out and will start eating the corn. A few days later you put the third side up and throw more corn in , now you have three sides up and the pigs see this and hesitate but , finialy they go in and eat the corn , now you wait a week and keep feeding them. Now you put the last side up with a gate and put the corn in ,now they stop dead and walk around the fence checking it out , now pigs aren't stupid but, they want that corn and will go threw the gate and feast on the corn and then you close the Gate. Now they are not free pigs anymore and are dependent on you feeding them . Freedom isn't free, you fight for it and you earn it and you don't want a Government that holds you captive . It's really scarey , it's getting to be like that in America, everyone wants free this and free that and the Jerks can't see the fence being built around them . Some one has to pay for it and that is where Taxes come in and just don't ever stop. Corruption comes in and runs rampent and your stuck , A Slave to Your Government.