The sister of President Danilo Medina, deputy for the province of San Juan de la Maguana Lucía Medina spoke up during the weekend against gold mining in San Juan de la Maguana in the southwest of the Dominican Republic. Interviewed by Ana Jiménez and Danylsa Vargas TV show on Sunday evening on RNN, Medina alerted that GoldQuest has not carried out the preliminary hydrogeological study on underground water situation in the area where they want to mine for gold. The GoldQuest mine site is located 800 to 900 meters above sea level with farming operations carried out at around 400 to 450 meters above sea level.
Medina says that GoldQuest has delayed in presenting scientific information that would help convince the people of San Juan that the exploitation of gold would not affect the environment and farming. San Juan de la Maguana is a prime farming province. “By not doing so, they have not convinced anyone that it is not true that they are going to affect the aquifers and the waters of the dam,” she said.
An exploitation agreement signed by the Ministry of Energy and Mines was sent to the office of President Danilo Medina for ratification. The agreement grants GoldQuest rights for 75 years.
Medina highlighted that her brother, President Danilo Medina is making great efforts to ensure the reforestation of the aquifer basins of the country and has begun with investments in the southern region. She said there are seven reforestation projects underway. She said the President is very interested in the construction of a reservoir to guarantee water for the San Juan Valley in times of drought.
Medina said again that if the people of San Juan de la Maguana do not want the mine, they will not have the mine. Also pending for the final authorization of the exploitation of the mine is the Ministry of Environment permit that includes a community go-ahead.
“My heart and my commitment is with San Juan and I will never be against their interests, but I ask you not to let ourselves be dragged by people who want to fish in troubled waters,” said Medina Sánchez.
Deputy Lucia Medina made it clear that this project will not be possible. She told her listeners that she is appealing to the sensitivity and responsibility with which President Medina has executed his government program.
She called for the people of San Juan to be calm and patient since President Medina has not yet given his ratification for the exploitation. After the President gives his ratification, the project then passes to the Ministry of Environment for approval.
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El Caribe
19 February 2018
