Hermetism surrounds Las Cristinas destination Thursday, November 11, 2010 Entre Crystallex and CVG there is mutual breaches the contract, which complicates the legal resolution to materialize the announcement of "nationalization" of the President of the Republic.
Natalie Garcia
Photo William Urdaneta

More than 20 years has the site without being exploited; the peoples of the South await with hope the development of the mine after the announcement of "nationalization" of the Las Cristinas deposit given in concession to transnational Crystallex by Corporación Venezolana de Guayana (CVG) in 2002, the national Government remains silent on the future of the mining project.
What would be a possibility for the Rusoro Mining company is today, according to the Ministry of basic industry and mining (Mibam), something uncertain because the direction of one of America's richest gold mine would be marked by the "political interest and the way in which forces move your chips in the coming days".
At least point it coming to Minister José Khan, officials recognize the strong struggle between supporters of Crystallex permanence and those who prefer the entry of another company like Rusoro or even a third, but this time of the Venezuelan State that might be the administrator of the natural resources and responsible for exploitation.
But before any chance the CVG, or failing that the Ministry of basic industry and mining, must be resolved what to do in the legal framework to terminate the contract with the Canadian transnational.
Legal framework
It should be noted that agreement establishes a series of conditions on the part of the Corporation and Crystallex that were broken since 2002, including the management of environmental permissions that allow the exploitation of the deposit by the transnational, that falls on the CVG because even the contract remains in force until it is shown otherwise on the Official Gazette or decree.
The condition is reflected in the ninth clause of the contract and reads as follows: "The company processed concerning environmental and mining permits required for the implementation of the project." "In any case the periods established in this contract not begin compute but from obtaining these authorisations or permissions".
This is, among other things, that the Las Cristinas project has not started, because environmental permissions cannot have been granted taking only Canadian do exploration on the site.
Negative balance
The counterpart of this is Crystallex according to allegations made to different agencies of the State, has not done the same as also required by the contract signed in dated 17 September 2002, just months before the then Ministry of energy and mines provide authorization that the CVG develop the site.
These alleged breaches are related to the "special advantages" prescribed in the seventh clause which Crystallex undertakes inter alia to "continue with technical support for 5 installed in the area of small mining project organized small-scale mining associations".
Clause - continues - indicates that the company should build 30 homes in the local community of Santo Domingo, training the staff of community management of machinery and equipment needed for mining operations, development of social programs for the benefit of the communities: installation and integration of white; water treatment plants construction of sewers and improvement networks and paving of the existing roads from 85 to Las Cristinas kilometer.
Documents and testimonies collected by mail of the Caroní repeatedly demonstrate that part of these special benefits were not implemented fully. For example, the sewage network installed sank generating substantial harm to members of the community of Las Claritas.
Protests and claims part the miners and the community of the municipality Sifontes not been expected.
Precisely, the disagreement with the entrance of the transnational led to Mayor Sifontes, Carlos Chancellor, and William Saud, mining leader to a process of trial ended in prison sentence.
Hot potato?
Whatever the legal way in the event of being terminated the contract between CVG and Crystallex or the contract between the Ministry of basic industry and mining and CVG on Las Cristinas, which would give rise to override above, the State must take a decision on what will you do with the site and how will become "Golden panacea" generating employment and well-being for the people of the South.
The announcement of "nationalization" of the site that has 20 years without being exploited should be reflected in the next few days. Although commented that there is the possibility that it is delivered to Rusoro Mining such thing is has been diluting with spend days and a next company entry in the mine is a mystery, what is waiting for the Government to take the cards on the table to specify what will you do with Las Cristinas.

http://www.correodelcaroni.com/content/view/166060/112/