As part of the start of consultations Sustainable Mining Act and Environmental Protection, the Standing Committee on Mining Bolivar State Legislative Council (CLEB) met with miners and mining professionals at Club Minerven workers in the Callao, in order to establish working groups of the first proposals emanating around the law.

As part of the committee, Rep. Cesar Ramirez attended the activity in which was found the plight of the miners of El Callao, a fact that with the abandonment in which the municipality is convicted of "unjustifiable ".

"Hearing the testimonies of different miners arrived at the conclusion that it is unfortunate. They complain that politicians arrive, managers of large companies and take the gold while the village remains the same, totally collapsed, the security system is nonexistent. Public services such as sewers, whitewater inefficient, broken streets and power outages are not justified in a town that has given so much to the country and it is in these conditions, "he said.

Criminalization

That is why Ramirez raised the need for a legal framework that protects the small miners to the criminalization of this activity has been a tradition in the southern state.

"The mining work is criminalized and the land, which should be arranged for them to work, were given to multinational companies which bring staff out and then we have a vacancy in our villages in southern Bolivar state" condemned.

In addition to the issue of land grant hand the deputy foreign companies that the Government refused to pay the gold miners legally practicing 6.30 B activity per gram (official dollar price) which is sold immediately Venezuelan state parallel to the dollar, generating big profits business.

Lost Wealth

In this situation Ramirez questioned where does all this wealth being generated by the mining sector of the State against anarchy and disorder which is increased corruption and deviations millions to the national treasury. From there to that illegal mining has increased along with environmental damage while one of the most important activities of the economy does not reach even 1% bring the country's Gross Domestic Product.

That is why we joined miners' requests during the activity assuming the commitment to using the law give continuity to the 67 letters of intent, approved last June 9 with the grant of the 900 remaining to approve concessions to legal and that the opinion of the deputy undelivered since before the "high debt" of 50,000 million to the Chinese has given priority to the foreign country.

"That's why we say that the government gave the gold to the Chinese and Venezuelan miners and prison plan," he said. (Press Cesar Ramirez)

Value to the country

Mining accounted for in the first half of the year to 96.02 million million bolivar gross domestic product; just as they have since 2008, when the economy began its decline-this oil industry continues its descent. Between January and July 2012, this screed of GDP recorded a revenue of 126.156 million bolivars, and for the same period in 2011, 128 893 000 bolivars..............http://www.correodelcaroni.com/index.php/economia/item/3517-cleb-inicia-discusiones-de-ley-para-proteccion-de-mineros-artesanales