Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Dominican government, Barrick Gold strike mine deal; reports



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Santo Domingo (hoy.com.do).- After a marathon meeting Tuesday  the Dominican government and Barrick Gold Corp. reached a tentative agreement to amend the Pueblo Viejo mine contract, although how a new tax would be levied was left pending, local media report.

Canadian miner executives John Lawson Thornton, Calvin Francis Pon, Alann Hjordis Heath, Derek Hudson Burney, Kelvin Paul Michel Dushnisky, Andrew Lloyd and Curtis Arthur Johnson arrived in the country Monday noon and met with government officials headed by Presidency chief of staff Gustavo Montalvo.
 On Tuesday president Danilo Medina said he hopes to strike a deal. "It’s a negotiation. You start with endpoints and reach a midpoint. God willing a midpoint will be reached today (Tuesday)."

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There should be more scrutiny focus on the  ambiguity of Customs and the laws of a mining country that in   an act of ignorance or  permissiveness, haven't even care to purchase a lab that allow to detect  dore and other metals, taken away from DR  under the shadow of night ... Towards a rising movement  that bet on softening popular anger against the mining activity of BG and his deadly pollution, after being fine tuned with the same money that has come out of the  innards of our land ... Towards the talks between the Government and the arrogant company that haven't pay a dime to the Dominican government yet...

We dominicans are so feed up with lame excuses  from BG, who got a 48 BILLION gold mine for free, over and over and over..

In this case we only hope that the final deal would be beneficial to the VERY poor communities around Barrick Gold, where children can get an education , people can go to the hospitals, people can get a decent job, not a total pollution or a total devastation situation ..At the end,we are not asking for too much, just that  people can get a REAL and decent way of living..

 On February 27, in the  National Assembly, President Danilo Medina created great expectations to raise the urgent need to review the contract with Barrick Pueblo Viejo. And the people took his word. A double-edged sword. Now many people expect him  to act under the power of his own  speech.

And we do not ask much. Just ask him to be thoughtful and not give in to blackmail or urban legend  from the powerful mining company. Do not delay the awaited good news for the whole country.

Again , we hope that God give wisdom and patience to the Dominican leaders, so the deal would be really beneficial to a third world country like Dominican Republic


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