I was surprised to hear President Bharrat Jagdeo saying at his press conference this week that people in the mining industry estimate that only about 50 per cent of the gold produced in Guyana is declared and sold to the Guyana Gold Board.

This is an alarming state of affairs as these people are robbing the national coffers and the government should have a comprehensive look at the operations of some miners to ensure full disclosure by all.

This should not be a difficult task, particularly for big operators who use massive excavators and other heavy duty machinery. Close audits of their operations would determine whether the gold they officially declare matches the returns expected from operations on such a large scale.

The gold is a natural resource and miners get their due reward from official declarations; so there is no need for back track dealings on such a massive scale, especially when the government is struggling against extreme odds to develop the country for all of us.

The mining sector is an important contributor to the national economy and there should be no room for unscrupulous dealings.

Maybe the government should raise the fees and royalty for gold given the current high prices on the international market.
Winston Fields