By David Williams, Freelance Writer
Pearnel Charles (left), JLP candidate for North Central Clarendon, has some strong words for Robert Pickersgill (second right), Minister of Mining and Energy, during yesterday's protest staged by residents of Pennants, Clarendon. - Ian Allen
ROBERT PICKERSGILL, Minister of Mining and Energy, on Saturday opened Jamaica's first commercial gold mine in Pennants, Clarendon, but only after negotiating his way through a mob of placard-bearing protesters who ambushed him, demanding improvements in community infrastructure.
Mr Pickersgill had to earn his passage to the opening ceremony after angry residents made it clear that they would not allow him and his entourage of ministry officials to go through to the site until they were satisfied that he was taking seriously, their need for running water, telephone services, and road improvement.
"Dem run di phone line a di white man house and stop. Wi waan phone too. Dem fi respect black people. Dem a diss wi up," one protester shouted.
Pearnel Charles, the recently-confirmed Jamaica Labour Party candidate for Clarendon North Central, who was at the forefront of the demonstration, said the residents were reacting to unfulfilled promises from government.
He said they were promised improved roads, water, and telecommunication facilities during a community meeting with ministry officials and the investors in the gold mine, Ausjam Mining of Australia. However, Mr. Charles told The Gleaner that the infrastructural development that had taken place so far had been solely to make the gold mine successful.
"(Nothing) has been done with the people directly benefiting. The roads have not been touched, the water facilities have not come on stream, and to make matters worse, telephones have been brought in for the investors passing over the homes of the citizens," Mr. Charles said.
He advised the protesters to take their concerns directly to Mr Pickersgill, who came upon the demonstration while making his way to the mine. Mr. Pickersgill spoke briefly with community leaders Margaret Page and Claudia Thomas who agreed to a community meeting with him at John Austin All-Age school tomorrow afternoon.
"I understand that feelings run very high when it comes to utilities...and people get very jealous... We believe in community meetings. We believe in the community approach," Mr. Pickersgill told the protesters.
In urging residents to allow ministry officials passage to the site, Mrs. Page warned that if the outcome of Tuesday's meeting was not in their favour, residents would ensure that mine employees would be unable to reach the work site from Wednesday morning.
"If the Minister does not keep his word, we are going to block the road again and this time it will not be a simple block it will be trees. We are going to block it with our bodies and it is going to be death in North Central Clarendon," she warned.
The protest delayed proceedings for just under 30 minutes.
During the opening ceremony, Paul Sailah, Ausjam's chairman, empathised with the plight of residents, and made a plea to Government on their behalf.
"Please listen to them," he told officials who included Phillip Paulwell, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Technology; George Lyn, MP for the area; Joseph A. Matalon, JAMPRO's chairman, and Pat Francis, its president.
"We (the mining company) give them water. There's a stream up the road and we put a pipe and the kids come up on their donkeys with plastic containers to get some water, but sometimes the pipe breaks. They're pleading with us to fix the pipe. They can't get water," he said.
Mr. Sailah said his company does not simply want to "take some gold (from) here and leave", but wanted to seize the opportunity to do some good for the overall development of the community.
Mr Pickersgill apologised to residents for not convening a meeting with them earlier, and appealed to them to be civil towards the Australian investors.
"These investors have options and they have chosen to come to us," he said. "Let us treat them with kids' gloves."
