Today Aker Kvaerner turned down an invitation from the Norwegian national TV station, TV2, to participate in a debate programme about the film “Et lite stykke Norge.” (The film criticises Norwegian industry and politicians for lack of social responsibility.) The debate was set up to be a one-on-one discussion between the film’s producer and Aker Kvaerner, a format the company has viewed from the beginning as unproductive.
10 May 06
Aker Kvaerner has now seen the film and has pointed out to both the production company and TV2, the parts of Aker Kvaerner’s projects that were inaccurately portrayed.
In the film it is stated that Aker Kvaerner played a role in building a part of the prison, the so-called Camp X-Ray that exists on a part of the marine base, Guatanamo Bay. It does not inform the viewer that Camp X-Ray was established in the 1990s as a facility to house nearly 30,000 boat refugees from the Caribbean islands. Since 1993, Aker Kvaerner has carried out maintenance duties on the 100 year old American marine base, Guantanamo Bay. The film gives the impression that through its maintenance work, Aker Kvaerner has participated in violating human rights, something the company strongly denies.
In the film, Aker Kvaerner’s supply of defence materials that are a part of an official purchase and sales agreements negotiated by the Norwegian government is also portrayed as contributing to violation of human rights.
From the beginning, Aker Kvaerner has been open and forthcoming about these projects, providing information about them to the production company and to journalists. At this point in time, we do not see that a further debate would provide any new information.
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