-Minister Harmon urges help to check lawlessness in the mines

By Svetlana Marshall
GOVERNMENT yesterday reopened the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) office in Bartica, Region Seven, more than a year after closing it because it was riddled with corruption.Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman; Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes; Region Seven Chairman, Gordon Bradford; and Bartica IMC Chairman Gifford Marshall, among others, were present at the occasion.

Even as he promised heightened security in the gold mining industry, Minister Harmon said the Gold Board, despite its location, ought to act as a “gatekeeper” to protect the country’s patrimony. “I believe that the Guyana Gold Board has a responsibility to protect our national patrimony, and therefore it is important that we are able to contribute in a meaningful way to the resources that are available for the development of that patrimony,” he said.

Stating that major emphasis is being placed on security, and stressing that miners, despite their scale of operation, ought to feel secure in the execution of their duties, Minister Harmon said: “The lawlessness which is taking place in the mining sector has to stop! It has to stop!”

He reassured that the APNU+AFC coalition government is committed to creating a safe environment for all miners, and used the opportunity to advocate for responsible mining.

“Mining, as you know, contributes to land degradation and deforestation, and therefore it has to be done in a sustainable way, which takes account of the need for us to preserve our forest and preserve the green of Guyana.”

Minister Trotman, in delivering remarks at the opening ceremony, said Government’s decision to reopen the GGB office signals its confidence in Bartica and the people of Bartica.

“Reports indicate that thousands of ounces of gold are leaving our shores every week, and not all of it is being declared to the gold board. There are too many reports of illicit activities,” Minister Trotman said, as he called for an end to these illicit activities.

With installation of a new Gold Board in January 2016, the Minister of Governance said there are major expectations. “We expect that integrity and accountability will be the hallmark of the staff and those who are placed to work here,” he said.

In addition to the office in Bartica, Minister Trotman said Government has taken a decision to open other offices across the country, in regions One, Eight and Nine, to encourage more persons to declare their gold and pay up their royalties.

He pointed out that the Specialised Organised Crime Unity (SOCU), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) will be working closely with each other.

The IMC Chairman, in applauding the Government on its decision to reopen the GGB office in Bartica, used the opportunity to highlight two issues affecting the sector. He said small miners have suffered for too long, and have been crying out against the unfair, unjust, and undemocratic principles that have stymied their success.

He said another issue of concern is “the reckless handling of the environment by some miners.”
It was recalled that during President David Granger’s visit to Bartica on October 3, 2015, five strategic points were laid out. Those strategies, Marshall said, must be taken seriously if Bartica is to be transformed into a Green Town.

“Gold mining remains the number one cause of deforestation. Gold mining remains the number one pollutant of our surrounding three rivers. Gold mining remains the number one cause of our aquatic life degradation, and gold mining is a major contributor to solid waste in Bartica. Traverse our streets and you will observe heavy metal — derelict heavy-duty vehicles, and even dredges, lining our parapets in an unsightly manner. Is this the price we have to pay? How long more will we continue to destroy the environment with no thought of tomorrow?” he asked.

The recently appointed IMC Chairman said the opening of the gold board signals the opening of golden opportunities for the people of Bartica and, by extension, of Region Seven. Opportunities that will see small miners being treated fairly, sustainable exploitation of the region’s natural resources, and large miners leading the way in making Bartica a model town -– Guyana’s first green town.