Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug10/01) - BHP Billiton and contractors working at Ekati Diamond Mine will work with the territorial government to meet its hiring and employment obligations said company spokesperson Denise Burlingame.

"We don't feel that it is necessary to renegotiate the socio-economic agreement," she said.

Representatives from the territories' diamond industry approached the government just over two weeks ago with concerns over meeting Northern hiring quotas.

The Ekati Construction Alliance was formed partly as a result of the hiring concerns, said the alliance spokesperson, Clark Builder's general manager Pete Simpson.

"Alliances are not new but this one brings eight companies together," said Simpson.

Clark Builders representatives are spearheading the alliance.
"For the alliance we have a dedicated number of people to the BHP project. They are familiar with the site," he said.
Simpson explained the alliance will streamline the contractor's workload with input from BHP Billiton. Jobs will be delegated to the company with proper staffing.

"It is not just the contractors policing themselves. It's the contractors and the client," said Simpson.
BHP Billiton has an agreement with the territorial government that requires it to retain a work force of 62 per cent Northerners -- half of those aboriginal employees.

"This is a great opportunity to get Northerners trained," he said, adding that apprentices can expect to learn a job and work at it for an extended period. A shortage of trained tradespeople has been identified by the federal government as a problem in the territory.

Simpson commended BHP Billiton for its efforts in trying to tackle the problem.

"Their effort to try and meet and exceed their Northern content is true and blue. Their intentions are genuine," he said.

Simpson added the alliance would like to work for other operational mines like De Beers and Diavik.

"We are more suited to the operational mode though," he said.