24 Apr 2006

New Caledonia nickel company to resume work on major upgrade

10:28 am on 24 April 2006

The New Caledonian nickel company, Goro Nickel, says it is plans to resume work on its two billion US dollar project today.

The site has been closed for three weeks after Kanak Rheebu Nuu activists caused millions of US dollars in damages to vehicles and installations.

A Goro Nickel spokesperson, Catherine Guillaume, says they are confident that the situation has improved to restart work.

"There are two main reasons. The first one is that we think that the security conditions are stable. And the second reason is we have received many support manifestations from various people in the population, which makes us think we need to go back to work."

Ms Guillaume says the company has agreed to pay employees, who are hired directly by Goro, their full salary until the situation is back to normal.

This excludes the workers hired by local construction companies.