meetings provided a forum for discussing and resolving community concerns, issues and
incidents during the project exploration and construction phases. Recognizing the ongoing
imbalance in access to resources and the need to progress towards a good faith negotiation,
in early 2015, the company suggested that the Committee retain independent legal
representation. The Committee accepted this offer and appointed two lawyers to act on
their behalf. 37
Surgold continued to make funds available to the Negotiating Committee for the
anthropologist and lawyers during the negotiation for the Community Agreement, and
added to this funding for a community development consultant. The community
development consultant worked with the Committee and the Pamaka community to
conduct village-level needs analysis to inform negotiations about the type of development
projects that should be contemplated under the Cooperation Agreement. Committee
members explained to the Panel that their work also involved disseminating information to
the broader community. This was described as a challenging task. Most members of the
Committee were employed in Paramaribo and had limited availability, and, furthermore,
had limited prior experience with mining. Members of the Negotiating Committee also
explained to the Panel that the transient nature of the local Pamaka population exacerbated
the difficult task of community engagement. 38
4.3
Status of the Community Development Foundation
By October 2016, Merian had commenced commercial production and Surgold had
completed legal formalities to establish the Community Development Foundation, as
contemplated by the Mineral Agreement. The Foundation’s Board had been appointed,
comprising two representatives each from the Government of Suriname, Surgold and the
Pamaka. The Pamaka Negotiating Committee’s formal role ceased with the signing of the
Cooperation Agreement. 39 Company representatives said that they were focused on the
establishment of the Foundation to ensure that tangible broad-based benefits started to
flow to the community. The financial contribution and disbursement procedures were in the
process of being agreed. 40 The Mineral Agreement states that the company must provide
funding on an annual basis. At the time of writing, the community was said to have been
finalizing the village-level plans as a basis of securing support for sustainable development
projects within Pamaka communities.
37
As with the arrangement with the anthropologist, the Negotiating Committee was the client, and
Surgold settled the accounts..
38
The porous border between Suriname and French Guyana through the Marowijine River adds to
the population’s transient and transnational character.
39
The Cooperation Agreement provides for an “Executing Body” appointed by the Traditional
Authority.
40
Company representatives said that the company had paid USD 50,000 of seed funding in 2016.
16