The mining company Falcondo Xstrata has asked Congress and the Presidency for restraint and prudence when they make a decision on whether or not to declare Loma Miranda a national park.
At a press conference, Falcondo operations director Juan Jose Fana said that if the decision is taken to ban mining on Loma Miranda it would not only affect the national mining industry but also the whole business climate in the country.
He said that he did not believe that any investor would be motivated to invest in a country where there was no judicial security and where the right to private property was not respected.
He went on to say that the decision would also affect income for the government as the Dominican state would receive 55% of the company profits.
Fana said he did not understand how on one side the Dominican state has promoted mining with the creation of the Ministry of Energy and Mining and on the other side another group is proposing a law against mining. The Medina administration has identified mining as positive for its capacity to generate revenues for the government and has been promoting mining ventures abroad.
Falcondo legal adviser Rafael Caceres asked the legislators to consider the negative consequences if Loma Miranda were to be declared a national park.
For more on the topic in Spanish:
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2014/6/17/326296/Falcondo-pide-prudencia-al-decidir-sobre-Loma-Miranda