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May 2, 2008
East-Icelanders still on a roll
On April 27th, Morgunbladid published an article by Gunnlaugur Adalbjarnarson, director of Kaupfelag Héradsbúa. Gunnlaugur describes his experience of the impact that the Alcoa Fjardaál smelter construction has had on the communities in East Iceland, and what the people of Northeast Iceland can learn from it, if a smelter will be constructed in Bakki by Húsavík.
Gunnlaugur describes the smelter’s importance as a new and significant foundation for the economy in the area, and says that the impact is just starting to appear. “A smelter has been built in Reydarfjordur, in which over four hundred people work. In Morgunbladid on Sunday 13 April, there were advertisements about dozens of available positions in East Iceland: in the Alcoa Fjardaál smelter, in the harbour in Reydarfjordur, and many service jobs for the municipality, diverse companies and public institutions. The changes that have taken place in East Iceland during these five years have already reached vast proportions, but it’s not over – East-Icelanders are still on a roll.”
In his article, Gunnlaugur lists some changes that have taken place during the construction period, both positive and negative. He says there has been a huge change of heart among East-Icelanders and although all the accumulated expectations may have exceeded the actual outcome, the optimism has been a boost for the economy and the whole community.
Finally, he says: “I encourage my cousins and friends in Thingeyjar-county to hold on to their right to utilize in their county the precious resource that provides environmentally friendly energy. Be prepared for changes in the economy and in the community as a whole. Benefit from the experience that East-Icelanders have acquired, learn from our mistakes and our successes – and above all, be optimistic.”
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