Money from Kwakwani bauxite machines sold as scrap should be used on projects for the community’s benefit

Dear Editor,

It is expected that the resources of any community should be used for the benefit of the residents there. For some strange reason, the resources of Region 10 and by extension Kwakwani are only distributed to a selected connected few.

There are or were two massive working draglines located in the bauxite mine at Kwakwani.

These two machines are now being cut into pieces to be sold as scrap iron. It is the expectation of the majority of residents that if these machines are to be sold as scrap iron, the proceeds from the sale must be utilized for a project where the entire community will benefit.

A few years ago, many residents were involved in the sale of scrap iron, the same being collected from scrapped machines of the former bauxite company. This exercise was going well until operable machines and equipment were damaged to be sold as scrap, and a decision was made to stop the operation. It is the view of the majority of residents that if a decision was made to restart the sale of scrapped machines from the Kwakwani area, it should be made public.

Proceeds from the sale must be used on projects that will be of benefit to Kwakwani as we need to start thinking seriously about life in the community beyond bauxite and timber.

Yours faithfully,
Jocelyn Morian