Opponents stress association “does not represent community at all”
The mystery of who is behind the association “Futuro do Barroso”, which believes lithium exploration should be seen as an opportunity, has been revealed – and opponents are not impressed.
“What can a bunch of old men have to do with the future?” was one of the first comments over social media, suggesting the presentation photograph “says it all”.
Others have been even less charitable: “Soldiers of the Temple that is Barroso (…) faces etched in shame”, comments another. “What future? You only see grey hair, but not wisdom. You are robbing the new generations of Barroso and more. How much did they pay you? (…) Shame on you! Opportunists! Vultures! Is it worth it at this age to betray your countrymen and go through this humiliation? For how many pennies? You are morally decrepit!”
One of the many people fighting the plans of British-based company Savannah Resources has referred to “all the propaganda” surrounding the association “the news item” put out by Lusa, “and the fake profiles”, suggesting it is all part of a “social engineering plan devised by Savannah to get their SLO (Social Licence to Operate)”.
The opposition has other ideas – and they are backed to the hilt by Boticas PSD mayor Fernando Queiroga, who has also lashed out at the latest development seemingly aimed at suggesting lithium mining is “irreversible”.
In a statement following the Lusa text introducing the association (without identifying who was behind it) he said the municipality stands by citizens contesting the project “and will support all initiatives aimed at stopping the Barroso mine.
“Boticas town council subordinates this position not only because of all the environmental and public health issues that mining entails, but also because of the ‘unserious’ and ‘non-transparent’ way in which this process has always developed, with Savannah Resources using an intimidating discourse and strategy, while at the same time announcing ‘paradise’ in terms of the socio-economic development of the region,” he said.
The company presents itself as a “prophet saviour” capable of solving all the problems affecting this region by creating a kind of ‘golden age’ for the local economy by distributing, like a modern-day Robin Hood, wealth throughout the region.
“They can promise as many millions as they like, wherever they like, they can talk about jobs, roads, hospitals, schools, crèches, day centres, I don’t know what else, but these are just promises thrown up in the air,” said Queiroga.
The “reality is that all we have seen is destruction, debauchery, a lack of respect for public and private space and, above all, a lot of arrogance.
“We may be poor, we may be a small district in terms of the number of inhabitants, we may have a limited municipal budget, but we are proud of our rigorous, judicious and waste-free management of financial resources, which has made us the 6th most financially efficient local authority in the country and a family-responsible local authority for 12 consecutive years,” the statement went on.
The mayor also recalled the fact that Barroso is a World Agricultural Heritage Site stressing that “no amount of money, gold or lithium can come close to the wealth” of the area.
“The most important thing is and always will be the people. This is our true wealth. It is priceless and non-negotiable,” Queiroga concluded.
For now, the situation is that Savannah’s project for an open-pit mine in Covas do Barroso has a favourable conditional Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (even though public prosecutors say it should be annulled) and the company says it will start production in 2027.
As for the new association, it has presented itself as “the voice of those who believe in dialogue and the development of ways to construct a better region”.
It claims its supporters “do not reject the project in principle” and “want to accompany it in dialogue with the promoters (Savannah) to ensure that it is done well, that the benefits of exploration are shared with the community, that (it) will help to counteract the trend towards population desertification” within the municipality and the region “and that it guarantees new economic opportunities for everyone, especially in Barroso”.
Founder José Moura has told local radio station Canal Alto Tâmega: “We have the feeling that this situation is irreversible, and since it is irreversible, naturally we just have to prepare ourselves and move in the direction of making the most of it. (…) Development brings what I call the pains of development, but it is a good thing it does, because if it doesn’t bring the pains of development, it means that as we go along we will die”.
He stressed that the plan will create 500 direct jobs, and 2,000 indirect “which means 2,500 people, in an environment that has less than 5,000. It is unthinkable that this won’t bring development and added value to this region.”
