COMMUNITY INTEGRATION STRUCTURES

In order to demonstrate its desire to integrate harmoniously, Vale Inco Nouvelle-Calédonie has seen to it that its neighbouring communities, and also every community in the Grand Sud, are consulted, kept informed and listened to, by means of numerous frameworks and structures that have provided as many opportunities for exchange and dialogue.

Studies into the Impact on Society

“Social impact Study”: a study on socio-economical and cultural impacts was carried out in 2007 in collaboration with the communities living around the project in order to precisely identify their perception of the project’s effects on their social life.

A social impact study aims to assess how communities are affected by all activity, public and private, that alters the way in which these communities work and maintain relationships with others. More generally, it analyses how these communities organise themselves, in every respect, in order to respond to their needs.

An initial study into the impact on society was carried out from May to October 2003. This study recommended the implementation of a plan to mitigate and a plan to monitor the project. This is what gave rise to the setting up of structures aimed at an harmonious integration: The Accord de Bon voisingage (Good Neighbour Agreement) at the beginning of 2004 and the CDI (Initiatives Forum) in August of the same year.

Despite the local community’s backing of the CDI (Initiatives Forum), strong opposition from the Rhébùù Nùù Committee to the December 2004 meeting led to its activities being suspended.

A second study into the impact on society was carried out in 2005, when the project was underway, in order to evaluate the situation. The need to reinforce community life, mainly by educating children to become good citizens, became apparent as a result of this.

Public Consultation Process

• Public consultations have been carried out as part of the process to obtain an ICPE (Installation Classed for the Protection of the Environment) licence.

The first took place in September 2004.  A second one is to take place in September 2006, as a result of a new request for a licence.

• Briefing meetings among the tribes and communes of Yaté and Mont-Dore.

      A hundred or so meetings were held in 2005, including around thirty among the tribes.

• Opinion polls
  • New Caledonia Quantitative Research - Ipsos Reid, November 2002
  • Public Opinion in New Caledonia - Update survey, September 2004

 

• Focus Groups
  • New Caledonia Focus Group, December 2005
• A survey amongst the people on the subject of the Vale Inco Nouvelle-Calédonie project,  TNS, July 2006.

The Coordination Centres

Two Coordination Centres are up and running during the construction phase: One in Yaté and the other in Mont-Dore.

The Coordination Centres are the result of a close partnership between Vale Inco Nouvelle-Calédonie and the Department for Employment and Training in Southern Province.

The Centres operate with a member of staff from Vale Inco Nouvelle-Calédonie, recruited in Mont-Dore and in Yaté, and a member of staff from Southern Province’s Department for Employment and Training.

These centres are a source of information for the inhabitants of the communities in the vicinity of the project. They provide the public with the following services:

•  Information regarding various aspects of the project and how the construction is progressing

• Information relating to jobs on  offer and the skills they require:
  • For the plant’s construction (temporary): These jobs are offered by various businesses and sub-contractors working on the construction of the industrial complex.
  • For the operational phase (indefinite term) : These jobs are offered by Vale Inco Nouvelle-Calédonie for its operational activities (the plant, the mine, the port, support services).

The centres are able to identify people looking for work and ensure a liaison with local bodies appointed to deal with employment matters. They provide the role of career advisor to the public through their collaboration with Southern Province's Department for Employment and Training.

The centres also play a role in informing and assisting local and overseas sub-contractors in their search for labour and resources likely to be available from the local employment pool.

The Steering Committee

The project’s steering committee is one of the key structures working towards the harmonious integration of Vale Inco Nouvelle-Calédonie into its natural and human environment.
It offers opportunities for exchange, dialogue and work enabling the active forces of the Southern Province to confer with one another regularly. It is made up of traditional, elected and administrative representatives, businesses, semi public companies, etc.

In between meetings of the Committee, its 5 sub-committees meet on a monthly basis. These brainstorming workshops on topical issues are as follows:

• The employment and training sub-committee
• The sub-committee for small scale projects
• The sub-committee for the involvement of local businesses
• The sub-committee for urban planning and development
• The sub-committee for socio-cultural impacts