Posted on 05/09/2005 8:08:55 AM PDT by MikeEdwards
You’ve probably never heard of The Doe Run Company of St. Louis or its subsidiary’s copper and lead smelting operation in the small mountain village of La Oroya, Peru, about 112 miles from Lima, but not long ago, the village had a distinguished visitor, Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace and chairman and chief scientist of Greenspirit Strategies. The day he arrived, La Oroya’s mayor was leading thousands of marchers.
Were they protesting Doe Run Peru? No. They were demonstrating against anti-mining activists, like Oxfam and groups tied to Christian Aid, the Sierra Club, EarthJustice and Friends of the Earth — to insure continued operation of the facility that is the town’s lifeblood.
It wasn’t just about jobs, either. Since purchasing the smelter in 1997, Doe Run Peru has launched programs to reduce the pollution that is associated with all such operations. It’s also provided funds for healthcare, education, reforestation and hot lunch programs for local children.
Dr. Moore was impressed. He pointed out that Doe Run had inaugurated new water-collection systems for treating storm water and sewage, and implemented "the first-ever community-wide" blood-level surveys and reduction programs, using Centers for Disease Control protocols.
Before Doe Run arrived, the government of Peru and others had owned and operated the facility for 75 years. During all that time, no effort was made to repair damage to the forests and rivers around La Oroya or to improve the health and safety of people who worked in or lived near the smelter. During all that time, the activists were nowhere to be found.
Doe Run Peru has spent nearly $140-million: on pollution reduction and health programs, and to plant 106,000 seedlings, modernize schools, and provide small business and vocational training for nearly 8,000 local women. . . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at canadafreepress.com ...
The company I work for had a community development program near our mine in Africa and what we did was actually sell plots of land that the company had developed...water, power, sanitation. We did not go the "company housing" route, but rather made low interest loans to the native mine workers and allowed them to buy their places...no strings.
In no time, there were gardens and lawns, trees and playgrounds...it is just human nature and it fascinates me that the socialist do-gooders can't figure this out.
Cheers from the highest (legally) FReeper
And large caliber handguns ... :o)
Aka... GANG-GREEN!!!
Time to Amputate!
I would certainly include large caliber weaponry as part of the private property. :-)
Just the rigor mortus, now!!! (grin)
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