Gold mills in El Callao on the verge of bankruptcy
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Pressures, insults and harassment support workers for demanding their money.

Carlos Andres Monsalve



Minerven ends with large forested areas, but critical to small miners for their work. CAM Photo Callao .- still difficulties between Minerven and small miners, after the company refused to comply with the agreements they have with the owners of mills, a situation that is affecting about 150 milling consist of an average 30 people each.

For six months the economy of the town of El Callao has been seriously affected not only by the exploitation of gold, but by the attitude that the company has on workers, especially by the company president Luis Herrera and some of its directors remain constant threats to the owners of mills and cooperatives.

Robert Clark, a spokesman for the first Millers' Association of El Callao, reported that since last May, the company owes the sands produced in the mills.

"I think the company should be bankrupt, because I do not pay us another reason not to. Perdomo surname engineer takes away the sand in an arbitrary and gross, and the proposal that they do not suit us, "he said.

According to Clark in meetings with officials from the Ministry of People's Power for Basic Industries and Mining (Mibam), the agency has made proposals unfavorable and has threatened to write articles for law declaring the absence of the millers.

"We want to get paid"
The spokesman for the miners' demands on behalf of all its affiliates, the company Minerven paid the money owed. Not understand the "desperation" of officials in grabbing as much sand.

"It is both the need for them last Saturday, we convened a meeting urgently to turn the payments bureaux, forward something back and paid to truckers, but with the agreement that we carry the sand to company, because it is broken, "said Clak.

Environmental predators
The millers' group said that they want to hold accountable for the environmental damage of the place, so they asked for an inspection of the company to show how it harms the environment.

Guillermo Herrera, general of the millers' association, said the biggest problem in the exploitation of artisanal gold Minerven generates.

"Mr. Luis Herrera is a rude, trying to take away the sand that is peculiar to our children. Everything is deteriorating, the lord of the slaughter, transport, trade in general is subject to considerable losses, because people live in the El Callao gold craftsmanship, no business or any activity other than "he said.

The mayor of El Callao, Ornella Scipio, who has been aware of the situation said he was willing to mediate to find a solution. She asks to join efforts between the miners' unions for this difficulty does not affect the daily lives of the inhabitants. Those affected do not doubt their good intentions, but are clear that the first local authority is not able to help, since it obeys the guidelines of the national government.