MINING PUBLIC POLICY WOULD INCREASE NATURAL AND SOCIAL RISKS IN COLOMBIA: FAR FROM RHETORIC CLOSER TO REALITY

During the last four decades, several mistakes of public policies for mining have occurred as a consequence of short public policy implemented for each government during the four years in office without continuity in this administrative process. Both bureaucratic and technical methods have been unsatisfactory showing lack of efficacy and efficiency as well.

The Colombian government has diverse rhetorical documents from different administrative organization and institutions such as National Council of Economic and Social Politic (CONPES), National Development Plan Prosperity for All 2010-2014, National Plan for Mining Development up to 2019- UPME, and others. All of them are representing short time interests, except the theoretical plan from Planning Mining Energy Unit-UPME, which has not power because its dependant from the Mining and Energy Ministry.

In opposite, another National Council of Economic and Social Politic (Consejo Nacional de Política Económica y Social-CONPES) sector policies and documents from the Ministry of the Environment, Housing and Territorial Development; also, Law 99/1993, Colombian Natural Resources Code, and others sometimes disagree with the Mines and Energy Ministry creating confusion. Sometimes it is a limb where publicly through media every day unusual opposition of legal normative is remarked.

On the other, it is easy to find controversial documents from Colombian government but it is difficult to find funding for natural resources exploration and safeguarding. The Mining Development Plan 2019 has a fantastic scope. A technical plan without funds means a scientific-political dichotomy.For instance, the Colombian government needs field activities of geology such as structural geology, stratigraphy, tectonic, and geophysics for basic information more than abstract planning, legal aspects, taxes, intangible safety and others. In addition, it is necessary to provide adequate basic articulation of this information.

The Colombian government's Vision and Mission regarding natural resources and/or mining policies represent lack of preparation from administrative people, politicians, scientists, technicians, and population as well.