AN injunction has been granted in favour of Isseneru to restrain a miner from mining or attempting to mine on any part of its titled land.Minister of Governance with responsibility for natural resources and the environment Raphael Trotman, had ordered that a water dredge working there cease operations, pending investigations and a fact-finding mission.
The Ministry of the Presidency on Saturday reported that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has been notified that an injunction was granted in favour of Isseneru to restrain the miner.
The court action number 2015-HC-DEM-CIV-W-420 also unsuccessfully sought to restrain the GGMC from issuing any permission to the miner and other defendants named in the action to mine and/ or operate within the boundaries of Isseneru’s titled property. This matter remains active and before the court.
The Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (DNRE), nevertheless, conducted the fact-finding mission as committed to by Minister Trotman last Wednesday.
A multi-agency team was dispatched to Isseneru. The team comprised representatives of the DNRE, the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency and the GGMC.
The residents benefited from a detailed interaction with the team and various concerns on mining along with other issues were raised. Discussions were also held with the owners of the ceased operation and relevant data was collected.
Minister Trotman had met with the toshao and representatives of the village of Isseneru and the National Toshaos Council on the issue on November 14 and had immediately ordered the operations of the dredge to halt, pending further investigation.
The government has undertaken to address the issue of land management and the distribution of lands for varying sectors in a holistic manner.