http://www.luxist.com/2008/09/30/the-battle-for-greenlands-rubies/ Luxist Comments for http://www.luxist.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.luxist.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.luxist.com/2008/09/30/the-battle-for-greenlands-rubies/http://www.luxist.com/2008/09/30/the-battle-for-greenlands-rubies/
True North has spent considerable money on the local community, doing training on jewelry making and lapidary work, hiring locals, etc. To mine the rubies, they must prove that they are being environmentally responsible, will benefit Greenland and local communities, and in the end they will be taxes on an efficiently scales operation that will benefit ALL Greenlanders.

Apparently some people, including Mr. Madsen, think that these rubies belong to a few. People further down the supply chain, who think that they will make money buying rubies coming from a few connected people like Mr. Madsen, are part of that few. Sorry, but these rubies belong to ALL Greenlanders, and first and foremost, the right to development belongs to the people who have discovered them, invested the money, and proven that they will share the proceeds through tax dollars with all.]]>Oct 3rd 2008 4:41PMhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/09/30/the-battle-for-greenlands-rubies/http://www.luxist.com/2008/09/30/the-battle-for-greenlands-rubies/
http://www.sikunews.com/art.html?catid=6&artid=3593

When you think of it, Greenland has free medical care, education, and many other benefits. It is not a poor country where people are desparate. How can they pay for all these expensive things if people are avoiding paying taxes on rubies or smuggling rubies? I think it is a lot more ethical to have a small company like True North Gems mine these rubies using local people, and share the tax money with the government, rather than have anyone come in and take what they want. In Columbia, people are routinely killed fighting over emeralds. Having a safe, enclosed mining operation that pays taxes sounds like a far more reasonable and ethical solution. This True North Gems sounds very ethical too.]]>Oct 3rd 2008 9:06PM