By Lake Zone Watch Writer
Leaders of North Mara Gold Mine and Tarime Rural District Council have met to discuss the 2023 new rules and regulations governing the responsibility of Holders of Mining Licences, towards the implementation of the Community Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.
The meeting was held recently at a hotel in Tarime town, where discussions centred on unity and cooperation in abiding by the regulations, when devising and implementing projects funded by the CSR money.
The regulations are spelt out in Government Notice No. 409 of June 23, 2023 of the Mining Act as endorsed on June 15, 2023, by Minister for Minerals Doto Biteko.
The regulations are divided into sections and subsections dwelling on the establishment of a committee of experts and its responsibilities and the priorities of communities living close to mining centres.
Other areas of interest are auditing of financial reports, supervision and inspection of the CSR plan, conflict resolution and the creation of awareness on the responsibilities of holders of mining licences. The second part of the new regulationsmentions the responsibility of the holders of mining licences as setting aside 40 per cent of CSR funds for the implementation of development projects in villages surrounding the mining centre and 60 per cent of the funds for projects undertaken by the district council.
Before the introduction of the new regulations, 100 per cent of the CSR money went into funding projects near North Mara Gold Mine. However, in the past season such an amount was reduced to 70 per cent, while the remaining 30 per cent went into supporting the implementation of projects in 77 villages of Tarime district council not bordering the gold mine.
Contributing to discussions on the new regulations, Tarime District Council chairman Simion Kiles called for cooperation among leaders at all levels government, Barrick North Mara, constituency, ward, village and ordinary people in adhering to the new rules towards the implementation of CSR projects.
“Lets stick to these regulations towards timely implementation of the projects. If we become one, nothing will fail, said Kiles, who is the Nyakonga ward councilor on the Chama Cha Mapinduzi ticket.
The Tarime District Council Executive Director, Solomon Shati, supported the cooperation agenda in respecting the new rules towards implementation of the CSR projects.
He said priority would be given to strategic projects.“Now were going to implement strategic projects touching all villages; involvement of leaders and ordinary people would be crucial at all levels. If we cooperate as a team, all CSR projects would be carried out efficiently and timely, Shati said.
Mwita Waitara, the Tarime Rural Member of Parliament (CCM), said: I support the participatory and cooperation agenda its important. Councillors have to be educated on these new regulations so that we can cooperate to implement them. If we dont implement these rules, we will be breaking the law.
Barrick North Mara Gold Mine Acting Community Relations Manager Hermence Christopher said his department would ensure that leaders and people at all levels would be involved in meetings to discuss projects funded by the CSR money.
He, however, said Barrick North Mara would continue to use the Community Development Committee (CDC) in various activities beneficial to the mine and the nearby villages.
CDC is an important tool to us; even the Barrick President and CEO recognizes it and whenever he visits, he meets with members of the CDC. Were using this committee to find solutions to the challenges facing the mine and communities around us; including educating the community against any acts of crime, he said.
The meeting on the new regulations was also attended by an expert counselor from the University of Dar es Salaam, Dr Fred Okangi, Barrick lawyer, Raymond Ngatuni, the Head of Legal Affairs of Tarime District Council, Goodluck Lukandiza, and Tarime District Administrative Secretary (DAS) Saul Mwaisenye, among other leaders.
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