Lafayette criticizes anti-mining groups

Philippine Star

Nation

Monday, June 18, 2007

Lafayette Philippines has accused anti-mining groups of what it described as irresponsible and misguided advocacy that is actually anti-poor and economically destructive.

“These groups are paid to taint mining companies and seek to close them down in the guise of protecting the environment. For them, it is actually a job, which makes them fake champions because while they are employed, they want other people, particularly the poor in the countryside, to remain poor and jobless,” Carlos Dominguez, Lafayette chairman and president, said in a statement.

“I challenge the Greenpeace people, for instance, to reveal their monthly salaries and where they send their children to school. I challenge them if they really care for the environment, to go after the smoke-belchers that are silent killers and perfect proof of an irresponsible company,” he said.

Pasig River is another challenge, he said, but “Greenpeace prefers to send its people clambering up high places without permission so they can unfurl their huge but meaningless streamers and slogans for their media photo-ops that are actually their meal ticket, so their funds will keep flowing in.”

Lafayette’s Rapu Rapu project, according to Dominguez, is committed to responsible mining and employs about 1,000 people, more than half of them coming from the Albay island.

But he said Greenpeace insists that the Rapu Rapu folk are better off being the poor fishermen that they are since the project will give the island’s population only P2 per day in benefits.

“Had it been plausible, Greenpeace would have divided any benefit coming from Lafayette even further, using the whole population of Albay and on a per hour basis. But that would be an obvious stretch and Greenpeace knew it,” he said.

“We have already explained this as false and distorted in many forums as part of our policy of transparency. We are the biggest investor in Albay whose benefits go beyond jobs, per capita money, health and sanitation, education, infrastructure, and taxes. We are giving our host communities a better life and future,” he said.

“The anti-mining groups do not offer any alternative, only untenable criticisms, and this explains why they are losing public support, are becoming irrelevant, and do not get as much media cover as before,” Dominguez said.

“Our pro-active policy of transparency has unmasked them and we will continue to do so,” he added.