The company mining barrick Gold assured that a small group of people is affecting the process of resettlement of the families who reside in the communities where their new will be built prey of tailings or waste from that company in the Sánchez Ramírez province, a position supported by the Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos.
The multinational express your complaint through a statement, issued after the incident between police and military agents with a group of farmers who oppose the work and which left at least eight civilians injured by pellets, including a priest.
road blockade
According to the company mining, those responsible for interrupting the process have carried out a illegal blocking of public roads to serve their own economic interests.
He maintains that these acts were the cause of the confrontation registered between peasants and the members of the military organizations, who restored access to public roads so that the contractors of the company can carry out the technical studies where the prey of queues.
It details that this group has demanded the payment of compensation unjustified claims for lands and crops that do not refer to a assessment independent of the prices applicable in the market.
656
They are the families that will be relocated, in accordance with the agreement reached with Barrick Gold.
For land, Barrick’s appraisal based on replacement value has prices ranging between 42,064.45 pesos and 46,491.62 pesos by task of agricultural land and improved pasture.
However, the commission – in which members who are not residents of the area participate – ask that the value per task be 177,887.50 pesos.
This represents a increase of between 282.6% and 322.8% more than the appraisal, not to mention that the commission also asks for additional payment for crops and infrastructure.
He adds that, through his actions that supposedly include threats direct and intimidationthat group is violating the rights of the majority of locals and preventing those who have chosen to continue with the process of resettlement and restoration of livelihoods, commit to Old Town.
“Although Old Town has repeatedly engaged in good faith with those individuals to reach a mutual agreement, they have continued to change their demands even after agreements have been reached,” the letter states.
The barrick alleges in the document that they are committed to a process of resettlement just for the installation of storage space in El Naranjo, in accordance with best practices and international guidelines.
He also states that, throughout the process of resettlementhave engaged closely with communities and continued this open dialogue.
They claim that they have worked with the community cooperatively and transparent with respect to the development of the target site, the construction of houses to be replaced, livelihood restoration programs and community development, ensuring public participation at all times.
“Old Town continues to interact with the many residents law-abiding workers who agree to continue working with the mine and who have already demonstrated their willingness to accept the compensation packages and be resettled at the new host site that offers them new opportunities for livelihood and improvement of their quality of life”he expresses.
The Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos, today denied rumors about an alleged eviction in the mining communities of the Sánchez Ramírez province.
He specified that what happened was a procedure related to access to carry out geological studies prior to the resettlement works, in progress after reaching an agreement with the 656 families that will be relocated.
In a press release, Santos described the situation as “regrettable,” because the delays affect the expansion of Pueblo Viejo operations, and prevent the country from benefiting from higher income due to international gold prices.
For this reason, the minister requested the intervention of the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment to mediate the situation.
