Environmental Assessment
Volume D-5.1
Process Plant
Socioeconomics
5.1.2
Impact Assessment
5.1.2.1 Economic Opportunities
With the exception of people living along the Route Nationale (RN2),
populations adjacent to the plant and tailings sites appear to be somewhat worse
off in terms of social and economic development than those at the mine site
(Volume K, Appendix 1.1). However they do not report experiencing the same
kinds of stresses, or aspirations, which have motivated mine site populations to
give employment as large a priority.
Accordingly, the project would intend to offer pre-employment training, basic
skills training, jobs and other benefits to local people. To mitigate uncontrolled
migration to the project, the recruiting area for job training, employment and
procurement opportunities will be Toamasina, which is considered to be “local”
to the project. It is likely that with the number of jobs, the potential improvement
in quality of life, and the offer of training and pre-employment programs as
described elsewhere, the project will employ considerable numbers of people
from the Toamasina area. Business opportunities in the immediate vicinity are
likely to be less than for Toamasina generally, given there only very few small
businesses in what is largely a rural setting, however this has potential to grow
with time.
5.1.2.2 Employment
Baseline employment, language, literacy and education data suggest that it will
be initially difficult to employ many people from the area immediately adjacent
to the project in other than unskilled jobs, although some people have had recent
job experience related to the construction of buildings along the route nationale.
However, given the size of required construction and operational workforces, the
size of the working-age population right adjacent to the work site (about 1,500
people, many of whom are not actually in the labor force, and/or are willing or
able to take up full-time wage employment), there is unlikely to be a shortage of
opportunity for those near the plant and tailings facility who wish to take on
employment. With time, unskilled and inexperienced workers will be developed
through education and training programs.
Direct Malagasy labor force requirements will be about 1,100 of the total work
force of 2,800 over the 36-month construction phase. Some of these jobs will be
short term but unskilled jobs will be more stable. It is expected that many of the
more skilled jobs will be sourced in Toamasina. The direct local workforce
requirement for the operations phase is estimated at about 1,060 with only about
90 expatriate workers. As local people gain skills and experience through the
Ambatovy Project
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January 2006
