AS a professional and middle-aged entrepreneur within the mining sector for over a decade, I find the recent comments by APNU’s Joseph Harmon regarding the mining sector distasteful and set the stage for misinforming the general public.I am surprised that APNU has not upbraided Harmon for his recent controversy with the private sector – the engine of Guyana’s economy. Now he is attacking miners who have contributed significantly to the GDP and the overall development of Guyana.
Mr. Harmon is supposedly a learned person and as a lawyer and a Member of Parliament, he should not have chastised miners and loggers who work under unimaginable conditions to earn a livelihood. Not all miners and loggers are engaged in illegal activities Mr. Harmon;and when some do and the regulatory authorities take action against them, you and your clique of high-priced lawyers represent these very same illegal miners/loggers against the government for taking action.

Further, the recent unwarranted attacks on the Government regarding the Norway Funds is either that Mr. Harmon is ignorant of the facts or has chosen to ignore them to continue his tirade of misinforming the public to carry out his aspiration of painting a government portrait of mismanagement. However, the middle-class, hard-working people of this country are witnesses to the effects of APNU’s misguided statements and will not allow a downward spiral of our country.

As such, I am making a plea for all miners and loggers to come forward and express their umbrage at the recent comments and attacks being led by APNU’s Joe Harmon alleging that Guyana’s rate of deforestation is due to illegal mining and forest activities. This comment has branded all miners and loggers; as such, an apology from APNU is being demanded.

Notwithstanding, the negative outlook APNU and Mr. Harmon have on Guyana’s deforestation, we the stakeholders of the mining and forest sectors stand firm to be part of the solution rather than assigning blame.

MARK FRASER