Mining sector provides inclusive growth, say… A BUSINESS leader on Friday said that if all measures are implemented well, large-scale mining will be able to provide inclusive growth to its host community. “Our experience in Canada and Australia is that mining, if done properly with modern technology and a good regulatory framework, can produce various benefits like employment,” said Julian H. Payne, Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (Cancham) president told reporters at the sidelines of the Southern Mindanao Growth Corridor Investment Forum on Friday at the Marco Polo Hotel Davao. He said since mining is usually located in the outskirts of the towns and cities, mining offers a huge potential for inclusive growth. September 22nd Payne said in 2012, around 250,000 Filipinos are into mining while around 1.8 million were benefiting from the industry due to the presence or establishment of other industries. “We see the mining sector, if done properly — environmentally correct and socially appropriate — will be a major potential for inclusive growth,” Payne said. He pointed out that they do not support small scale illegal mining since they see it as a “scourge on the environment and have other unfortunate adverse impacts.” Payne also said that they are advocating that mining and agriculture can work together contrary to some claims that both industries can’t go together. “In Saskatchewan, Canada, one of the great agricultural areas in terms of grain and cattle is also a great area for the mining of potash. On the surface is productive agricultural industry and 1,000 meters beneath is huge deposits of potash that are being mined,” he said. Payne said that the practice is sustainable if it is planned properly and the right equipments and practices are used and implemented. He said the practice of having a agriculture industry in a mining site is being done in other developed countries. He said in many countries large scale mining has been a huge catalyst in their development. “In the case of Canada, we have had our disasters but we learn from them. We don’t ban them but we improve them,” Payne said, adding that this can also be done in the case of the Philippines. He said Mindanao has huge mineral resources and there are lots of mining companies who want to invest here. By By Reuel John F. Lumawag, Sun Star Davao.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 19:04:52 +0000
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