It is indeed disheartening to see the thwarted notion that Government is moving towards the abandonment of the mining industry being spread like wild fire by prominent figures in society as well as miners, whose interest the PPP/C Administration is bent on representing.

Please, let’s stop to think for a minute, what does the Government stand to gain from putting a very crucial industry that makes a significant contribution to the national economy, out of operation?

This country, for decades, is well known for its potential in mining, why would a Government which has made its citizenry a priority above every other aspect now move towards taking bread out of their mouths?

Please understand that a time when climate change is closing in on our world, it becomes our existential duty to ensure that all economic activities, particularly mining and logging, are done in keeping with the benchmarks of sustainability.

Sustainable management aside, 50 percent of the gold produced in Guyana, our very own natural resource, is not declared at the Guyana Gold Board. How could this be allowed to continue? Why shouldn’t the Government intervene?

This chronic practice which amounts to looting the country is carried out mostly by miners who have large-scale operations, thereby leaving small miners in a pathetic position to keep their business afloat.

The furore that is currently being created by big miners towards the new mining regulations that the Government is proposing is expected. Additionally, the position taken by certain sections of the Opposition, being the ultimate opportunists they are, is also expected.

I urge small miners therefore, to try to understand the new regulations and what they entail for them. Further, small miners, I urge you to be wary of schemes that are tossed out by these ‘big guns’ to incapacitate the implementation of this new, sustainable arrangement, and jeopardise your own operations in the process.