…says Prime Minister Hinds
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, with responsibility for mining, Tuesday deemed as false reports that the government and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission had been issuing lands for small and medium scale gold and diamond mining to foreigners. He said, “We are hearing all around that the government and the GGMC have been giving Lands to Venezuelans and Brazilians and other foreigners.
“I must say that I am concerned because there are those allegations out there. They are completely false .I state categorically that we don’t consciously give any land to any non-Guyanese for mining at  the small and medium scale level. We keep an eye on it . It does not happen.”
He was addressing a meeting of members of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) at their headquarters on North Road  the city.
He also fielded questions from miners concerned about issues affecting their on-the-ground operations.
In an hour-long address, the PM touched on a number of issues facing the gold and diamond industry, including the challenges for more efficient and environmentally friendly operations and adherence to the rules concerning the declaration of gold and diamonds.
In terms of improved efficiency, he said that the small and medium scale miners have a great challenge ahead.
He said that no small operator individually can become an Omai, but there could be specialisation so that together and by networking effectively there can be virtual companies, each one advancing the efficiency of the sector.
He said that for example there may soon be the  need for groups that carry out prospecting for small and medium scale operations as a specialisation.
“We have some good demonstrations on the processing side of the mining operations, but we certainly need more emphasis on prospecting.  We have some ideas but we have to advance them. This is primarily the business of the miner, but government has recognized the need for this and will support such initiatives for more efficient and productive operations in the industry.”
He said that he was aware that some companies are doing their own prospecting and he expected that some would become specialised in doing so for others.
He said,”One can already see some degree of specialisation and networking in the sector, but there is need now to specialise faster and further into a number of additional areas and to develop similar levels of trusting commitments as exist among departments within the same company.”
He said that if miners open their minds to higher requirements, they will not only achieve them, but exceed them.
The Prime Minister also spoke on the issue of declaration of gold.
He said that although he did not full believe it, there were rumors around that only 30% of the gold mined was actually declared and  70% went elsewhere.
He said that the declaration should be 100%; and stressed , to the applause of the miners present, that he would support stern legal action against miners not adhering to the rules of sale of gold mined in here.