I certainly don't want to trade places with them but when the back drop to the handing out of $$$ is a co-operative joint venture... how would it sound for the government to then grant a permit to a transnational company to dig up the country's largest gold deposit???

Honestly, that is my biggest concern. Some says (Sassa?) "Don't trust the Russians"... heck... look where we've invested our money? Do we really trust the Venezualians???

The only thing keeping me going is:

1) We're a Canadian company

2) We seem to have a social conscience

3) Sanz seems to be on our side

4) Fung seems to be able to get things done (Reputation justified?)

I am losing hope though... and hope isn't a good investment strategy :-(