The Ministry of Energy & Mines says La Romana senator Ivan Silva has been misinformed. The Ministry of Energy & Mines says it has not delivered the list of gold exporter companies the senator Ivan Silva has requested because these do not exist. The Ministry says only Barrick Pueblo Viejo Corporation exports gold from the Dominican Republic.
Senator Silva (PRM-La Romana) recently requested that the Superior Administrative Court fine the Ministry of Energy & Mines with RD$100,000 per day for the Ministry’s delay in delivering the requested list of gold exploitation companies, aside from Barrick Pueblo Viejo. The senator has sources indicating around 300 companies exploit gold sources here.
The Ministry said it responded to Senator Silva via the Senate of the Republic with a letter dated 31 August 2022 whereby it indicated the following: “In this regard, we inform you that neither in this Ministry of Energy and Mines, nor in the Mining Agency are there records of mining companies with the names indicated in your communication.”
Energy and Mines says that Barrick Pueblo Viejo is the only company with a gold exploitation contract. It states that Cormidom, mentioned in the list of companies by the legislator, has a concession for the exploitation of copper and zinc.
“We do not know the source of information on which Senator Silva Fernandez bases his affirmation that there are 300 companies dedicated to gold exploitation in the country. Consequently, the MEM cannot provide the distinguished legislator with information that does not exist,” assured the government ministry.
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Listin Diario
DR1 News
7 September 2022