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<p>Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition, Dr Peter Phillips yesterday met with residents and potential miners in the Cockpit Country to try to arrive at a consensus about mining in the area.</p>
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<p>The residents of the Cockpit County, which covers portions of Trelawny,
St. Ann and St. Elizabeth, and particularly those of Gibraltar in St. Ann, want
a halt to further mining in the area citing a loss of livelihood and the
degeneration of their community.</p>
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<p>Cyrus McFarlane, 80, who operated a small farm in Gibraltar, said he
lost all three acres of his property, which at one point boasted banana, yam,
plantain and other crops, and now gets by on the $8,000 he receives every month
from the mining company for dust nuisance.</p>
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<p>He is not alone there are other like him some 2500 farmers in the area
who have been displaced due to mining.</p>
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<p>Lynden Frater who operates more than 20 acres of farmland had recently
invested 80 million dollars into modernizing his farm and divesting the crops
planted.</p>
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<p>He wants the government to protect farmers in the Cockpit country and encourage
industries that are eco-friendly.</p>
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<p>However, the miners are disputing that they are mining in the cockpit
country and wants the opposition to support and press their claim to mine in
the protected area. </p>
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<p>When Dr. Phillips met with the miners, they were in a militant mood
wanting to mine the area designated SML 172, which would see an encroachment on
the core Cockpit area. The miners say that they have invested in billions of
dollars’ worth of equipment and some suggested that there would be lawsuits if
there were no mining in the area.</p>
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<p>The Opposition Leader Dr. Phillips managed to cool some heads during the
discussion. He pointed out that the matter would not be solved overnight but he
needs both sides to sit at a table and come to a balanced solution.</p>
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<p>Dr. Phillips is concerned that communities in the proposed mining area
will be wiped off the map if excavation begins. “We have seen many communities
that used to be thriving agricultural communities in south Manchester and
elsewhere that used to produce families just simply disappear. We have seen
companies come make millions of dollars and have gone the original mining
companies are no long here. We need a balanced approach and we have to be
honest with ourselves with how best we are going to protect our future and it
do not mean anyone has to lose their work,” he said.</p>
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