Good Day Mr Editor,

IT is public knowledge that several ministers have business interests, which were successful ventures before they joined this administration.  It therefore begs the question, why it is that only Minister Broomes is being accused of Conflict of Interest?  
It is my opinion that the President in his wisdom appointed Minister Broomes as the Minister within the Ministry of Natural resources because he knows that Minister Broomes is uniquely qualified to address the “RUNNINGS” which is GGMC.  This “Cash Cow” handles billions of dollars yearly, and many persons in this society, especially those in the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) feed off the GGMC.  The Americans have a saying, “follow the money.”  Well, money is the source of this controversy.

Every Guyanese who lives in Georgetown and every gold- miner in Guyana knows that GGMC is full of “runnings.”  But who can unravel it, who can clean it up?  The Government has changed, the minister has changed, the Commissioner has changed, the board has changed, but the workers and management at GGMC have not changed; and so the “runnings” continue.  Minister Broomes is now tackling it head on.

Many officials at GGMC are accustomed to running circles around Government ministers to manipulate the processes at the GGMC for their own personal gains.  This has been their modus operandi for many years, because of the technicalities and nuances of the gold- mining sector and the many loopholes in the mining regulations.  This state of affairs has benefited the many bigwigs at the GGDMA, while placing a tremendous burden on the small claim- holders and the small miners who do not have the resources to defend their claims, neither can they afford the lawyers to fight for their rights.

At GGMC, the corrupt officials sell every decision. They use technology to switch locations of properties on file.  They create mineral maps to suit their benefactors. They issue cease- work orders to the highest bidder and they collect bribes to decide which miner gets which piece of land.  While it is commonly believed that the mines officers are the corrupt officials, it is the Land Management Department that is the master of this corruption.

Every Wednesday, Minister Broomes meets with John Public to hear their grievances, then she investigates the allegations and dispense justice without favouritism or prejudice.  Her extensive experience in this industry gives her the insight to see through the fog of lies and deception that are used by some corrupt GGMC officials to sabotage small miners.  Her 28 years in the industry has given her numerous contacts in every mining district in Guyana, which she often calls to get the facts on the ground as they relate to any particular mining matter.

Many injustices that have been lingering at GGMC for years while the corrupt officials sabotaged the process for their own personal gain are now being resolved.  No longer is it easy for wealthy and well-connected miners at the GGDMA to over power the small miners in matters at the GGMC, nor for the rich miners to buy away the rights of the poor miners.  Though sadly, the atrocities continue, as is reported on a weekly basis when the oppressed comes to Minister Broomes with their complaints.

So now her adversaries are the rich and the well connected at the GGDMA combined with many corrupt employees of GGMC whose “runnings” have been severely curtailed by her actions.  They are joined by the political oligarchs of the previous administration who fostered and benefitted from the corruption for most of the last 23 years.  They are trying to force her from this office so they can continue their “runnings.”

So my fellow Guyanese, are we going to sit back and let this happen? Small miners and small claim-holders, are you going to sit back and let the person who is leading the fight for your rights at the GGMC walk away and leave you to the whims of the GGMC and the GGDMA? Is it not time for you to let your voices be heard?

Please Print, Thank You.

Concerned Small Miner.