Fifth Colombian Senate commission asks MinMinas not to negotiate contracts with mining corporations
MOIR, the Independent Revolutionary Workers' Party
(Translated by Buddy Bell, a CSN volunteer. Edited by Teresa Welsh, CSN's Volunteer Editor.)
From the Press Office of Senator Jorge Enrique Robledo, Bogota, Dec. 17, 2010.
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The President of the Fifth Senate Commission, Daira Galvis, sent a request to the Mines and Energy Minister, Carlos Rodado Noriega, that he abstain from negotiating contracts with transnational mining companies without first reporting the contents and scope of any agreement to the Legislature.
The President designated a sub-commission to follow up on the renegotiations in progress, even during a legislative recess. The Senators Jorge Enrique Robledo, Lidio Arturo Garcia, Manuel Guillermo Mora, Felix Valera, Luis Emilio Sierra, Milton Rodriguez, and Commission President Daira Galvis sit on this sub-commission.
The text below is a letter sent to the Energy Minister signed by the members of the sub-commission:
Bogota, Dec. 14, 2010
Doctor
CARLOS RODADO NORIEGA
Minister of Mines and Energy
Greetings,
Countless citizens have come before this Fifth Constitutional Commission to argue that there is a necessity for a renegotiation of the contracts previously conceded to big mining, and it has become suitable to arrange a sub-commission for this task. Its goal will be to establish conditions which will complement or will work out these new contracts. To take care of these suggestions, and in virtue of political duty, the president of the Commission designated a sub-commission made up of Senators Jorge Enrique Robledo Castillo, Lidio Arturo Garcia Turbay, Manuel Guillermo Mora Jaramillo, Felix Jose Valera Ibanez, Luis Emilio Sierra Grajales, Daira de Jesus Galvis Mendez and Milton Rodriguez Sarmiento to follow through on the renegotiations, even while the legislature is not in session.
Importantly, we make suggestion to you, Mr. Minister: that before any particular determination is made, you submit an extensive report of what changes will transpire for any future contract. Equally, we request that you abstain from signing the renegotiations already in progress until you produce a report detailing their content and scope to the Commission members.
We thank you in advance for giving this your due attention.
Daira Galvis, Jorge Enrique Robledo, Lidio Arturo Garcia, Manuel Guillermo Mora, Felix Valera, Luis Emilio Sierra, Milton Rodriguez.
This translation may be reprinted as long as the content remains unaltered, and the source, author, and translator are cited.
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posted by CSN at 1:00 PM
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