Folk’s decision on geothermal project waited
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Director Amador Batay-an of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Cordillera is waiting for the decision of Bokod town elders on the project of Clean Rock Renewable Resources Corporation.
On January, Bokod folk from Barangay Daklan agreed to have another round of talks regarding the controversial geothermal project.
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Victor Wales who headed the delegation of elders earlier said in the Provincial Board meeting that representatives will have another round of talks on February 8.
Batay-an said the NCIP has not been invited nor informed of the result of the latest round of talks.
“We are waiting for their decision, until now there is no communication from them,” he said.
Wales said the stand of the community will be carried for their formal decision to be endorsed to the NCIP.
Bokod elders have been questioning the validity of a May 2009 voting, which rejected the project and a subsequent turn around decision of the same groups of people in August, which purportedly accepted the geothermal plant project.
Batay–an said whatever decision the elders will come up has to be respected by the NCIP.
Residents alleged they had not been provided with any document or information about the project by either the proponent or the NCIP.
The Provincial Board backed the complaints of Bokod folk over issues hounding Clean Rock Renewable Energy entry into the town.
The board is also is asking the company to suspend negotiations until doubts are cleared.
