With steps under way to ensure big miners comply with laws related to sustainable forest management, they are using small miners to try to preserve their interests. The big miners never paid attention to small miners before and are now using them to try to win popular support for their protests.

I feel it is time that small miners organise better and form their own organisation so that they are not used by the larger operators and other elements.

With their own organisation, small miners will be able to address their concerns and other issues with the government and other stakeholders.

Because of the false impressions and misinformation, small miners now need to speak directly to the government and agencies and not through the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association which is dominated by other groups.