RUSAL moving ahead with expansion

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Former Member

RUSAL moving ahead with expansion
- Natural Resources Minister assures of enabling environment for investment

Georgetown, GINA, August 9, 2012 -- Source - GINA

The Russian-owned bauxite company Guyana Inc., (RUSAL) is moving ahead with its plan to expand its scope of operations in Guyana, and today, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud inspected the company's operations in Aroaima, Region 10.

Minister Persaud was accompanied by RUSAL officials including its General Manager, Ruslan Volokhov and, representatives of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). Prior to this visit, Minister Persaud engaged in two separate meetings in Kwakwani the previous evening.

The Natural Resources Minister said his visit was intended for him to have a firsthand view of RUSAL’s operations.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud examines one of the new roads being cut by RUSAL to access new mining areas. Also in photo is General Manager BCGI Ruslan Volokhov

“It is always good to come on the ground and see what's happening and ensure the company sticks with both its investment and its mining plans," he said.

Minister Persaud also said that the visit to RUSAL was in keeping with the renewed focus of the GGMC whereby a Bauxite Development Unit has been established and the Commission is seeking to engage and work more closely with the players in the bauxite industry.

Such an engagement, he said, can only allow for cooperation to daunt any challenges the company may have.

“Looking around RUSAL’s operation, I can say it’s fairly developed, I can see them cutting new roads, looking at new areas all with the aim of meeting the 1.8 million tonnes bauxite from this location…RUSAL’s operations have been moving smoothly and fairly along and we will continue to work with the company,” Minister Persaud said, when asked to comment on what he saw.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud and team at one of the RUSAL’s Mining Blocks

RUSAL has been operating in the Region 10 community since 2007 after sealing an agreement with the Government of Guyana.

The company’s operations have regularised and strengthened bauxite operations in the district and created opportunities for residents and the community to benefit.

Prior to the visit, Minister Persaud would have engaged RUSAL’s executive in private on some concerns raised at the community meeting in Kwakwani that centred on the company’s relationship with the residents.

“We have been discussing those concerns and we intend to have mechanisms between the community and company to have those matter dealt with,” he said.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud getting a first hand view of the operations of one of RUSAL’s plants

“The aim is to foster greater dialogue and greater interaction as any company should do with neighbouring communities, with both sides understanding what the issues are,” he added.

He said the company has given the assurance that it will undertake to look at ways through which it can improve its services in the community.

“I see that willingness but, we have to improve on that mechanism and the form of communication between the community and the company,” he said.

Volokhov was pleased with the Minister’s visit, stating that RUSAL is developing and, has some major strategic strategies that if implemented successfully will realise an annual production of five million tonnes of bauxite annually.

To encourage this expansion, Government would have made available mining blocks to the company.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud with General Manager RUSAL, Ruslan Volokhov at the company’s workshop

Recently RUSAL brought in a fleet of equipment to bolster its operation and its plans for expansion. As such, the company will soon be mining in two new blocks – Kurubuka 22 and Korite Block 38 - which have a combined deposit of close to 80 million tonnes. The company anticipates that production will peak to five million tonnes. About 1000 persons are employed directly or indirectly resulting from the company’s operations.

Volokhov said that the company continues to cultivate its relationship with the community and has been offering support wherever it can.

RUSAL, in Kwakwani has sponsored five students from the community to study geology in Russia and also offers onsite training of its operators.

The company will soon be handing out computers to the community.

Government has a 10 percent share in RUSAL which has been producing annually over 2.2 million tonnes of bauxite.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Former Member

Good for the mining community. No needs for people to agitate them into foolish acts which cause pain, suffering and the loss of life.

8/10/127:10 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by baseman:

Good for the mining community. No needs for people to agitate them into foolish acts which cause pain, suffering and the loss of life.

You are right. They took to the streets themselves many times no less than any people taking industrial action for grievances does.

The selling of the idea that lindeners were pushed to protest by political agitators is a lie the administrations try to sell. They moved to the street because they felt shafted.

8/10/128:55 AM

NehruBig Mouth Member

Baseman, Some people only kno to BRUK and BRUK while others BUILD. And some right here can only talk SHIT!!!

8/10/129:08 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Stormborn:

Originally Posted by baseman:

Good for the mining community. No needs for people to agitate them into foolish acts which cause pain, suffering and the loss of life.

You are right. They took to the streets themselves many times no less than any people taking industrial action for grievances does.

The selling of the idea that lindeners were pushed to protest by political agitators is a lie the administrations try to sell. They moved to the street because they felt shafted.

They were mis-guided by selfish political opportunists who wanted a platform to make trouble and get some spotlight onto themselves. Lindeners need to do what others do, pay their bills, go about their business building their community and help in creating an environment of stability and safety for investment and growth.

8/10/129:10 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by baseman:

Originally Posted by Stormborn:

Originally Posted by baseman:

Good for the mining community. No needs for people to agitate them into foolish acts which cause pain, suffering and the loss of life.

You are right. They took to the streets themselves many times no less than any people taking industrial action for grievances does.

The selling of the idea that lindeners were pushed to protest by political agitators is a lie the administrations try to sell. They moved to the street because they felt shafted.

That may be your opinion but I beg to differ. Having lost a request for subsidy of one billion dollars for GPL they PPP has nothing but pure gall and contempt for a people who are doing fine by their supplier to request a similar price hike as they lost in a subsidy. Lindeners need to pay what is fair at a cost that is local to them given their supplier is different. If they recieve a subsidy as an influx of cash from the government it should cease. If it is an accounting exercise and not one where the government incur any cost then screw them. Fight them to the wire.

8/10/129:15 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Stormborn:

Originally Posted by baseman:

Originally Posted by Stormborn:

You are right. They took to the streets themselves many times no less than any people taking industrial action for grievances does.

The selling of the idea that lindeners were pushed to protest by political agitators is a lie the administrations try to sell. They moved to the street because they felt shafted.

That may be your opinion but I beg to differ.

No issue, we see the issues through different prisms.

8/10/129:29 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Nehru:

Baseman, Some people only kno to BRUK and BRUK while others BUILD. And some right here can only talk SHIT!!!

---

Oh! I see, you mean build like the Skeldon factory and Motilall's road to Amaila?

8/10/1210:03 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by baseman:

Lindeners had a right to protest as did others. Not that long ago they were prrotesting and on strike in Kwakwani. If people were shot and killed do you think that the reaction would have been any different from what we see in Linden.

The Police made a bad issue worse and Ramotar has no clue what to do. The Region 10 people said that they were beginning to attempt to get the protesters to stop and along comes Ramotar undermining their afforts instead of working with them.

8/10/1211:00 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by Stormborn:

The things is that we have not heard a rebuttal to Chris Ram who says that BOSAI doesnt lose money from generating electricity. We have not heard from the govt that this is because they pay BOSAI to assist them to offset their costs.

A huge mess has been created by a blundering group which refuses to undrstand where they are disliked. I really dont understand why the govt didnt work TOGETHER with the Region 10 to convince the protesters to stop.

Instead more tear gas.

Shouldnt this technical committee have been assembled BEFORE the announced subsidy reduction? And of when the PPP was courting votes from Lindeners they made no mention of increasing rates.

8/10/1211:04 AM

Former Member

Originally Posted by baseman:

. Lindeners need to do what others do, pay their bills, go about their business building their community and help in creating an environment of stability and safety for investment and growth.

I agree and Guiysuco should be privatized and if thousands of workers are dismissed and whole communities in the sugar areas depressed as a result, hey thats life. Whats good for Linden also should be good for Skeldon, Rose Hall and Leonora. Why should other Guyanese pay for Guysuco's losses if this is your logic?

8/10/1211:08 AM

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