THE Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) have said they remain resolute in the implementation of their mandate. They said, in accordance with the Mining Act and Regulations, it is to ensure the effective management of the sector for the benefit of all stakeholders, since that is the only way there can be profitability and growth of the gold and diamond mining industry.
In pursuit of this, over the next several weeks, the Minister, Mr. Robert Persaud and a high level team from the GGMC will, again, be visiting all the mining districts to interact with miners and other stakeholders in an effort to enhance dialogue and foster a better understanding of the Government/GGMC policies and actions.
There will also be a meeting between the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Associaton (GGDMA) and President Donald Ramotar later this week.
All that information was disclosed by GGDMA President, Mr. Patrick Harding, who said the future of mining locally is uncertain, in light of the impending worldwide ban on mercury.
Speaking at the annual general meeting (AGM) of his organisation, at Regency Suites Hotel, in Hadfield Street, Georgetown, last Friday, he called on Government and other stakeholders to reorganise the for the needs of the industry.
He said, after 2013, small and medium scale gold and diamond mining will cease in Guyana.
According to him, trading in mercury, a method of gold recovery widely used by miners, will be banned worldwide.
But, contrary to his pronouncement, to date, neither the Government nor the regulatory body, GGMC, has signed on to any international document or made any commitment to the banning of mercury. Instead, there are ongoing efforts to engage all stakeholders in the mining sector on the issue.
Some international environmental and health organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have identified the adverse effects of mercury pollution and classified them as serious global environmental and human health problems. UNEP Governing Council has targeted reducing methyl mercury accumulations in the global environment as a major priority.
In light of this, Government is lobbying for provisions and or obligations from developed countries, for adequate financial, technical and capacity building mechanisms to support developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in optimising economic benefits without the use of mercury but with a phasing-out transition process.
Discussions
GGMC, recently, participated in the fourth session of the inter-governmental negotiating committee held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, to prepare a legally binding instrument on mercury. This attendance and participation enabled the Government of Guyana and GGMC to be involved in discussions and interactions with representatives of government, research agencies, civil society and other stakeholders in the negotiation process that will help to develop and recommend solutions to key challenges facing the sector that are applicable to Guyana.
Of particular relevance, will be the development of a global legally binding instrument on mercury, as part of the holistic plan to have the industry adapt to a changing world.
Harding also pointed out that GGMC has refused to accept renewal fees for the rental of lands, held by small and medium scale miners that fall within proposed extensions to titled Amerindian villages. However, miners have already invested millions of dollars and have been carrying out operations on them as well.
This matter was taken to court by the GGDMA and an injunction was granted against the GGMC but that has not deterred the latter from continuing to refuse the renewal fees.
Another source of contention, Harding revealed, was the cessation of new river claim licences and there were questions as to whether river mining was banned, as the Association is claiming that some $17 billion have been invested by miners.
The GGMC has publicised that there is no ban on river mining, concerns over which have been highlighted, by Amerindian communities, indigenous people’s organisations, environmental groups, civil society and numerous individuals, to that agency and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, during engagements with stakeholders at Bartica and Mahdia and with Brazilian miners, the GGDMA and others.
These worries have prompted an ongoing review of the current management and oversight arrangement of river and tributary mining and GGMC took the position of not accepting, for one month, any new applications for river claims until the process is completed and recommendations tabled for discussion and decision.
Agreed
In addition, the ministry, GGMC and GGDMA met and discussed, among other issues, environmental matters relating to river mining and they agreed to set up a technical joint working group that includes the GGDMA, EPA and GGMC to re-examine, within a month, the implications of the environmental questions and concerns pertaining to river and tributary mining.
Harding also intimated that government and, more pointedly, the minister with responsibility for the sector, is making policy decisions which seem to favour failure of the industry. Issues of duty-free concessions and Value Added Tax (VAT) exemptions, non-nationals working illegally, mining regulations, crime and security and roads and infrastructure development and the smuggling of gold were raised by the membership and a call was made for a way forward to be devised.
In direct response, GGMC, the ministry and the government have refuted the accusations of wanting the industry to fail. Rather, they have pointed out that technical support is given to all miners by mines officers and through a technical assistance to miners programme. Geologists have been sent to help miners assess sluice boxes and pits to determine the grade of material being worked and gold recovery percentages is being provided free of charge.
In the area of mineral processing, research to improve recovery rates and provide alternatives to mercury has been undertaken by GGMC and, despite the high cost of the exercise; the technology would be transferred to miners. Additionally, GGMC sponsors an environmental officer, who is attached to the GGDMA to provide help to miners and has sponsored a field trip to Suriname for them to view reclamation activities.
Meanwhile, the government and GGMC continue to fund the University of Guyana (UG) mining programme, providing trained persons to work in the sector. At the same time, efforts are being made to establish a mining school to be based in Linden to provide the needs of the industry.