Hururu residents protest RUSAL’s move to halt logging on leased land

Apr 22, 2013 News

Several irate Hururu residents yesterday blocked a main roadway to protest an imminent move by RUSAL to stop them from logging on Amerindian lands that the Hururu Council has leased to the Russian aluminum company.
The Hururu/Kwakwani roadway in the Upper Demerara-Berbice, runs through lands leading to over 2000 acres of forestry at Kurubuka that the Toshao and Councilors have leased since around 2005 to RUSAL for some $1.3M per month for bauxite mining. The Hururu road has also been leased to RUSAL for $1.1M per month.
Kaieteur News was told that as part of the agreement between the Hururu Council and RUSAL, residents will have to discontinue cutting logs in the leased area. RUSAL is said to be preparing to commence work in the area, which means that the agreement will now be enforced.
But now several residents, including Deputy Toshao Victor Walker, are expressing reservations about the deal, which they say will severely affect the livelihood of loggers in the area.
“Once the mining starts, the logging ceases,” Deputy Toshao Victor Walker told Kaieteur News yesterday.
“This is our livelihood. This would cause starvation in our community. We have children who are going to school. We have other expenses. We are looking for full compensation for the land that they want to utilize from us and right now the land where they want to work is where we do our logging.”
Rather than the $2.3M per month, Walker is recommending that RUSAL pay the Council $12M a month for the land and the roadway. He also pointed out that the Russian company collects $1M to $1.2M a month from Hururu residents for electricity.
The Deputy Toshao said that the issue was to have been discussed at an April 17 meeting with officials from the Amerindian Affairs Ministry. However, he alleged that when he arrived at the meeting he was prevented from raising the issue, allegedly due to his late arrival.
Winsbert Benjamin, Hururu’s Toshao, conceded to Kaieteur News that loggers will be affected by their inability to use the Hururu road. He said that the Council had hoped to meet with RUSAL officials to work out a compromise.
The new project comprises the development of two open pit mines at Kurubuka 22 (Kurubuka East and Kurubuka West). The Kurubuka 22 deposit is located immediately adjacent to the Berbice River and approximately 14.5 KM from the former Aroaima’s crushing and drying facilities.

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Hururu residents protest RUSAL’s move to halt logging on leased land

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