Petaquilla Employees Challenge Environmentalists
Representatives of the Petaquilla Gold Mine rejected the arguments made by farmers and environmentalists about alleged pollution in the Coclesito river, and to prove it they bathed in the river, and they even drank the water directly from the river. Carlos Salazar, in the presence of the media, bathed in the river together with his son and public relations representative Fernando Rodriguez. "They accuse Petaquilla of having polluted the rivers, mainly the Coclesito, without scientific evidence - they alarm the people and then later interview them," said Salazar. He said the mining company has not used seven tons of cyanide, nor are they destroying water sources in the region, as the environmentalists accuse. He explained that in the operational phase they have taken advantage of the high levels of rainfall, which have increased the water levels in the holding tanks, and to say that the water was spilled is not true.
He also argued that theoretically they consume 1,080 cubic meters of water per day because the holding tanks have a pumping capacity of 45 cubic meters per hour, but because the rainwater has filled the holding tanks, they do not need to use the full 45 cubic meters per hour, or the 1,080 per day.
Of every 100 applications for exploration, practice shows that only two actually come mines, so in Panama at best will have just six or seven mines, occupying an area of about 3,500 to 4,000 hectares, equal to 40 square kilometers, said Salazar.
It was a challenge without justification. Environmentalist Raisa Bainfield said there is no evidence Salazar was drinking water from the affected rivers. "Bathing and drinking water is a challenge that has no legal basis. What will determine whether the river is contaminated or not will be a commission of national experts who are investigating the mine, as well as international experts because the government is biased on this issue," said Banfield, while supporting the theory that the mine is detrimental to the community. (El Siglo)
