Capemounteneers Raise Against  Beamountain 

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The Green Revolution of Liberia in collaboration with Conscious Capemounteneers against exploitation and bad governance in Grand Cape Mount calls on the Liberian government through the National legislature not to ratify the Bea Mountain Mineral Development Agreement as the company had flagrantly disregarded and abuse their 2013 original agreement under various sections eg. (Art. 36 of the 2013 agreement page 70 which according to lead campaigner, Varney Gbessay Kromah stated that the parties agree that this contract will be periodically reviewed once every five years from the commencement of production for the purpose of good faith discussions and of any modifications to the contract are necessary due to substantial changes in circumstances which may have occurred during the previous five years. 

Speaking with Journalists in Monrovia on Wednesday August  30,  Varney  the above provision of their agreement was never respected.

“Art. 13.1.a page 40 also says that employment practices of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation should conform to labour practices and other applicable laws. Bea Mountain Mining Corporation can ot hire individuals who are not citizens of Liberia for unskilled labor positions. It should employ and give preference to employment of qualified citizens of Liberia for financial, accounting, technical, administrative, supervisory, managerial, executive and other skill positions when they are available. There should be a progressive implementation of an employment schedule with the aim that citizens of Liberia will hold at least 30% of all management positions including 30% of its ten most senior positions within 8 years of the initial grant of the mining License. At least 70% of all management positions including 70% of ten most senior positions in Bea Mountain Mining Corporation,”  Kromah  asserted. 

According to him, 

Art. 13.4 (Page 41 ) of their agreement  dates that when purchasing goods and services related to operations, Bea Mountain Mining Corporation must instruct its contractors to procure goods and materials by giving preference to those produced by Liberian citizens residing in Liberia or from public entities incorporated in Liberia. In case where it cannot demonstrate that it is not reasonable and economically practicable to do so, such a requirement does not exist. Bea Mountain Mining Corporation should submit to the minister a plan for procurement of local goods and services by its contractors identifying the potential for local suppliers, contractors and service providers to service the project, identifying key interventions to grow the minerals input industrial sector, and setting out a project local purchase plan with clear milestones identified in terms of an increasing percentage of local purchases of goods and services.

He noted that  within 180 days, Bea Mountain Mining Corporation should provide the ministry with a project linkages plan for the periods prior and after the commencement of mine construction. The plan should set out a local project purchase plan with clear milestones identifying an increasing percentage of local purchases of good and services and providing for bidding preferences for local suppliers, contractors and service providers.

Going further,  Varney Kromah  quoted Art. 16.2 ( Page 44) of their agreement  and said, Bea Mountain Mining Corporation should take reasonable preventive, corrective and restorative measures to limit pollution or contamination of natural resources and the atmosphere as a result of its operations. Also,  It should undertake reasonable efforts as per international standards, to restore the terrain usable state for economically and socially desirable purposes.

” It should level the surface if leveling is not reasonable and contour, grade and terrace all exposed artificial gradients and declivities created as a result of operations. It should reopen natural watercourses and engage in reforestation activities in areas where operations have caused large-scale felling of trees. Bea Mountain Mining Corporation should from time to time submit plans to the government detailing actions for the protection, correction and restoration of the water, land and the atmosphere. This provision has never been implemented as record at our disposal clearly shows Bea Mountain releasing deadly chimical cynic on our people Jeakudeh village.

“From all indications of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation has carry on  bad mining exploitation in violation of the very law that give credence to her exitance with practically nothing to us as affected community. 

“We are finding it difficult to understand why the company is choosing our election period to bring up her contract renewal? When citizens all over the country are involved with campaign and election matters? Are they trying to manipulate our system as they did in 2013  by providing bribes to under performance law makers who are desperate to financially influence their re-elections? We are seriously concerned!!!

“Bea mountain has proven over the past 9 years  bad concensue company and an eminent danger us as  people of Grand Cape Mount county through the usage of deadly chimical cynic

“Our people in Grand cape Mount County are living over death trap as Beamountain/ AVESORO RESOURCE continue to undermine our entire county,” he emphasized. 

Meanwhile, Varney Kromah accused Beamountain company of  exploited over sixty Billions United States dollars worth of Gold from the county between 2013 to present but not a single hospital they has build, not even an ABC school they have constructed. 

Naming some of their clams against the company,  Varney  disclosed, 

“1. There is no record of Beamountain or AVESORO on the international mineral market. They are not a listed company any where in the world . Therefore, they are not monitor by international mining regulatory body that ensure mining is done in a more sustainable way to minimize potential treat to the environment.

2. They were giving a Class “A” surface mining licence and concluded a Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) with (GoL) to develop and operate a surface mine but, they are now doing underground mining with out decommissioning the initial surface mining and  submission of full Enviromental Impact Assessment Report (EIA) to establish the extent  to which their mining have negatively damaged the environment and their metigation plan. They are are actively carrying on underground mining with out commissioning the underground mine in line with international best practice. It will interest you to know  that our brothers who worked underground are paid little or nothing as they  avail themselves to emissions from radioactive minerals. This could yield to mass fatality in the county or the country if nothing is done to close this underground mines. 

3. There are over 1000 Turkish Nationals in various lucrative jobs on the mine in total violation of the labour laws of Liberia and by extension the Mineral Development Agreement in which Ministry of Mines & Energy, Justice Ministry, Finance Ministry  and the National investment commission  are signatory to .But, due to bribery of corrupt official from said Ministry they see nothing wrong with that. In this public manner, I want to challenge the Minister of Labour to show me or present to the public a publication of a local daily paper that show advertising of jobs from bea mountain/ Avesoro Resource in the past years and now.

4.  Beamountain or AVESORO is now building a steel plant using their same class A mining licence 

5. The mineral resources as per law, is own by us the people, but our government who supposed to be acting on our behalf is acting against us as people.

All these positions are currently occupied by foreign nationals

* General manager 

* Operation manager

* Corporates manager

* The finance Manager

* The IT Manager

* The environmental manger

* The workshop Manager

* The camp Manager

* Administrative manager

* So many others

The mines ( bea mountain/ Avesoro) must activate their succession plan. 

6. No school for the affected community as per the agreement

7. No hospital for the affected community as per the agreement

8. There is no safety bank in the mining area as vehicle drivers operate at their own detriment.

Section 16.1 of the consensus agreement between the the government of Liberia who supposed to be acting on our behalf and that of beamountain/Avosery states and i quote, the parties recognize that the mining operation may result in some pollution, contamination or other environmental damage to land, water and the atmosphere within the contract area and elsewhere.

Accordingly, the operator shall submit to the ministry before the commencement of exploration and production, an Environmental impact statement (EIS)

Now here is our case, the water from the mine which has been used in washing the mineral has escaped in our strame and  nearby Rivera and has greatly contaminated these water ways thereby  cousing our people to suffer from many diseases like running stomach, reaches, severe stomach pain leading to death and so for”.

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