Policies of Erinys are clear and on record
SIR — Our attention has been drawn to your article “Did Askar Security lie about recruits for Iraq?†published on May 18. The article creates a misleading impression about Askar’s activities and policies.
SIR — Our attention has been drawn to your article “Did Askar Security lie about recruits for Iraq?†published on May 18. The article creates a misleading impression about Askar’s activities and policies.
The writer refers to Erinys International as a Joint UK/South African security firm. In fact Erinys international is a British-managed company, registered in BVI. its activities in Iraq are managed by a subsidiary — Erinys Iraq Ltd. There is an Erinys subsidiary registered in South Africa, but that subsidiary is concerned solely with risk evaluation and investment advice for companies investing in Africa and has no role in Iraq.
It is also stated in the article that Erinys International has the ‘job of guarding oil sites and pipelines in Iraq for which it is being paid millions a day.†The facts are on record and are that Erinys Iraq (not International) was awarded a contract in August 2003 to protect Iraqi oil installations. This contract was initially for one year at a value of $39.5m, but was subsequently expanded in scope and was revalued to $69m. At the end of the year’s contract in August 2004, the Ministry of Oil extended the contract until the end of December 2004. At the end of December 2004, the Oil Protection Force built up by Erinys Iraq, together with all its operating assets, was handed over 100% to the Iraqi authorities and Erinys Iraq has no further role in the management of that force. you state that Africans will do the same job for far less money than Americans or Britons. You also say that Africans are paid “less than half the going rate of hiring an American or Briton.†This may be the normal expectation of Africans, but Iraq shows that, where Africans can bring equivalent expertise to bear, they can command equivalent rates of pay. We cannot speak for other companies, but can assure you and your readers that Erinys Iraq pays its South African employees the same as it pays Americans and Britons in Iraq.
You report that one of Erinys International’s employees Jacques ‘Oosie’ Oosthuize was killed on may 3. In fact Oosthuize, who was an employee of Erinys Iraq, was killed in an attack on November 10, 2004.
Erinys is always happy to give its comments before publication of any stories about its operations, so that you and your readers are given accurate facts, rather than, as in the case in the current story - which seems to be partly based on an inaccurate SPA article — reworked and inaccurate downloads from the Internet and from less scrupulous news agencies.
Peter W. Roberts
Chief Counsel
The writer refers to Erinys International as a Joint UK/South African security firm. In fact Erinys international is a British-managed company, registered in BVI. its activities in Iraq are managed by a subsidiary — Erinys Iraq Ltd. There is an Erinys subsidiary registered in South Africa, but that subsidiary is concerned solely with risk evaluation and investment advice for companies investing in Africa and has no role in Iraq.
It is also stated in the article that Erinys International has the ‘job of guarding oil sites and pipelines in Iraq for which it is being paid millions a day.†The facts are on record and are that Erinys Iraq (not International) was awarded a contract in August 2003 to protect Iraqi oil installations. This contract was initially for one year at a value of $39.5m, but was subsequently expanded in scope and was revalued to $69m. At the end of the year’s contract in August 2004, the Ministry of Oil extended the contract until the end of December 2004. At the end of December 2004, the Oil Protection Force built up by Erinys Iraq, together with all its operating assets, was handed over 100% to the Iraqi authorities and Erinys Iraq has no further role in the management of that force. you state that Africans will do the same job for far less money than Americans or Britons. You also say that Africans are paid “less than half the going rate of hiring an American or Briton.†This may be the normal expectation of Africans, but Iraq shows that, where Africans can bring equivalent expertise to bear, they can command equivalent rates of pay. We cannot speak for other companies, but can assure you and your readers that Erinys Iraq pays its South African employees the same as it pays Americans and Britons in Iraq.
You report that one of Erinys International’s employees Jacques ‘Oosie’ Oosthuize was killed on may 3. In fact Oosthuize, who was an employee of Erinys Iraq, was killed in an attack on November 10, 2004.
Erinys is always happy to give its comments before publication of any stories about its operations, so that you and your readers are given accurate facts, rather than, as in the case in the current story - which seems to be partly based on an inaccurate SPA article — reworked and inaccurate downloads from the Internet and from less scrupulous news agencies.
Peter W. Roberts
Chief Counsel