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Projects Las Brisas and Las Cristinas are paralyzed




They note conflict of interest between governorates and Mibam
Mariel Leon

THE UNIVERSAL

Directors of the Mining Chamber of Venezuela (Camiven) denounced the stoppage of the Las Cristinas gold project and Las Brisas, located south of the country.

In April this year the Ministry of Environment revoked environmental permits necessary to continue the work associated with these projects, reported Gilberto Sanchez, president of the chamber.

He recalled that the state awarded a contract in 2002 to operate Las Cristinas, under competitive bidding and in the case of Las Brisas handed the award thirteen years ago. "Today projects are paralyzed, not knowing its destination, where companies have already committed and disbursed $ 350 million, for an investment exceeding $ 1 billion."

This signal the Ministry of Environment has ido "meaning opposite to foster a harmonious and sustainable development of the sector, preventing come up with standards, development of new deposits and projects already approved, complying with all current legislation."

Camiven, a diagnosis expressed in a worktable in the sector recently concluded assembly Fedecámaras, warns the existence of "conflicts of competence between the Ministry of Basic Industries and Mining (Mibam) and the governorates in connection with some non-metallic minerals and industrial, causing situations of double taxation and duplication in the implementation of standards. "

That organization also detected "the lack of consultation" between Environment and Basic Industries and Mining, which "hinders the development of this industry and conflict resolution."

Differences between companies and workers must be resolved by the competent bodies, Sanchez noted. "Attitudes different incentives that some individuals motion seeking government intervention in private business, which is avoidable matter between the parties. Indeed, a dialogue between government, businesses and workers."

Unchanged
The House reiterated in his report that an ownership structure as the one established for the oil industry "is not applicable to the mining sector, the economy of their projects, risk and the very nature of this activity. This scheme does not lead to a sustainable development ".

The creation of joint ventures proposed by the Government as the only way to involve the private sector in mining and quarrying industry, does not conform to the particular dynamics of the sector. He said the agency in the encounter empresarialque "is not necessary to create a new Law on Mines, where the current is sufficient to apply."