Closure of mines crisis unleashed in Las Claritas
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Refieren that the Minister of Environment decided against mining in Las Claritas without taking into account socio-economic realities

Isidro Casanova


The organic garden and walking in areas of Las Cristinas
The announcement of Ortega Yubir? Carrizales, Minister of Environment, that the mines of Las Claritas and Kilometer 88 could not be exploited because they are within the Imataca Forest Reserve, has predicted an acute economic crisis, according to the warning is formulating the mining leadership, business and indigenous parish of San Isidro. Indeed, the announcement by the Minister of Environment, cancels projects Crystallex and Brisas del Cuyun?, which were under construction start of the respective plants for later use gold. The possibilities of starting these projects, fed hopes for the community of San Isidro parish that he hoped to achieve jobs, because the two projects would employ more than 4 thousand workers in the first phase and then stabilize a payroll over of 1,500 permanent jobs.


Moments difficult

Paul Zambrano and Antonio Rivas, the directory unit Minera del Sur, explained that during a tour conducted by the San Isidro parish, received several expressions of anguish from many people who exercise leadership in different sectors. The mining cooperative Ydalis Jimenez, the trader Zenaida Parra, Victor Calderon and others agreed that the announcement of the Minister of Environment, frustrated the hopes of the people, creating a socio-economic malaise that can generate a general crisis.

-- We believe that the minister of Carrizales Ortega made the announcement banning mining in Imataca-say-our informants, without having studied the consequences.

Proposal

Zambrano and consulting Rivas, which proposals are to develop mining without damaging the ecological environment and responded by clarifying that the area where Las Cristinas and Brisas del Cuyuni, was deforested.

- Now, regarding the realities of the area, we should mention that there is a central, shared by small-scale mining organized consisting of a joint mining development, involving the industry, small-scale mining and artisanal mining. This development model has been applied on a voluntary basis. If the State Development gold designs, taking into account this experience, the major problems of small-scale mining will find a way out.

Nobody was going to affect

If the Minister of Environment had taken the trouble to visit the area and investigate the system of life of the inhabitants of Las Claritas and Kilometer 88, had found that these populations were born in the heat of the mine.

-- When the minister argues that in Imataca can not affect the ecology to make way for mining-claim - must realize that the areas occupied by the two major projects such as Las Cristinas and Brisas del Cuyun?, were affected more than 30 years. The start of these two projects, because they have no affect on anything. The affectation already occurred and, moreover, the projects provide for the preservation of the environment in the work area. That decision was taken from an office, behind the backs of reality. We must ask the minister, what will the 10 thousand inhabitants live in the parish San Isidro, where the major gold deposits. The only activity of these people, is mining. Both towns were founded in the heat of gold.
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