EITI Report 2011: 300 billion MGA of mining revenue

Almost 300 billion MGA, such is the global revenue of the government in the mining sector. 136 mining companies of the Big Island have settled their administrative charges which amount to 5000 dollars. These companies constitute the target group on which the “Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative” (EITI) conducted a study. As a result of the study, 88% of the tax incomes, which at the beginning were 290 billion MGA, come from the 8 companies integrated with EITI.
As officially announced at the Hotel Colbert yesterday, the study conducted by EITI could be carried out thanks to the collaboration of three government departments, including the Ministry of mining, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Decentralization. The tax incomes report of the year 2011 will be published in the first semester of 2013, which will surely witness significant changes, including the effective exploitation of Ambatovy, allowing for an increase in the mining charges of that year.
Up to the present, the efforts performed by EITI were only limited to publishing the amount of mining revenues. But concerning the use of the revenues which come into the hands of the state’s treasury, it is up to the nation’s leaders to decide. However, in order to ensure a real transparency in the management of mining revenues and to get tangible impacts in the development of the diverse localities of the country, the Civil Society as well as other entities having the power to influence or to intervene must take their share of responsibility.