— Trotman baffled by miners’ claim of a crisis, absence of policies

NATURAL Resources Minister Raphael Trotman is nonplussed by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association’s (GGDMA) call for more concessions, a clear policy for the sector, and for contending that the sector is in a crisis.The minister, in a statement, said the “free for all” days in the industry, which had obtained under the previous administration, are over. He noted that he is deeply taken aback by the motive behind the statements and the kind of relationship the GGDMA requires with Government.

Despite record gold production, members of the GGDMA are clamouring for more concessions from Government, and have demanded that the administration unveil a clear policy for the mining sector.

The miners are also seeking an audience with President David Granger because they want him to shed greater light on his green-economy strategy.

Minister Trotman had said on Thursday that, as of May 2016, gold production increased by 92,000 ounces compared to the same period last year, despite gold prices being a bit sluggish, and this could be credited to the hard work of small and medium-scale miners.

But at a GGDMA members meeting on Friday afternoon, members raised several concerns that they said should be addressed with alacrity by the APNU+AFC administration.
Among those concerns are what they described as the lack of a clear policy for the mining sector, and increased production costs.

GGDMA President Terrence Adams said it is imperative that the administration state exactly what its policy is with regard to the sector. To this end, the miners’ association is hoping to soon engage President Granger.

“You go to a meeting with one person and they tell you this is what they are going to do… you go to another meeting and they tell you something else. It is very confusing,” declared Adams amidst loud rumbles of agreement.

But Minister Trotman said he is at a loss as to what inspired these positions by the GGDMA. He pointed out that continuous engagements with the GGDMA executive have been cordial and fruitful.

The most recent such engagement, he said, was on Tuesday, May 10, 2016, when the ministers of the Ministry, the Chairman and Commissioner of the GGMC, and others sat with the executive of the GGDMA and held discussions on issues that were affecting miners, and the ways to tackle them together.

“No statements about a crisis or absence of a policy were uttered at that meeting, and it begs the question whether the meeting was a sham. Interestingly, the GGDMA has also declined to share a comprehensive review of the sector sponsored by the IDB on its behalf, even though conceding that the findings would benefit the Government’s efforts at reform and be useful in refining its policies,” the minister said.

He added that, unfortunately, this recent attack, having taken the Ministry by surprise, suggests that the GGDMA prefers to see itself as a pressure group rather than as a committed partner working alongside the Ministry of Natural Resources to regulate an industry that was previously governed in a very unregulated and biased manner.

Further, the minister said, the Government firmly believes that it is only through collaboration that “we can truly tap and exploit the mineral wealth in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner.”

“Recent statistics about high gold declarations contradict the GGDMA’s utterances about the industry being in a crisis and devoid of any policy to give it direction. The statistics don’t lie, and instead, confirm that an industry that is better regulated and incentive-driven will produce results.

“The free for all days that some want to drag us back to are over. The Ministry of Natural Resources remains ready, willing and able to seriously, fairly, and meaningfully engage the GGDMA and all other stakeholders, and is expecting that they are prepared to do the same,” Minister Trotman said.