TAX concessions, land titles, landlordism, corruption, gold smuggling, exploitation and accessibility to lands were chief among the issues presented before the Ministers of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman and Simona Broomes, at the inaugural small miners conference held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre yesterday.

While moderating a panel discussion which saw miners interacting with incoming Chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Stanley Ming; acting Commissioner, GGMC, Newell Dennison; Commander, Guyana Police Force ‘F’ Division, Ravindranauth Budram; former President of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Patrick Harding; and officials of the Guyana Gold Board (GGB), Minister Broomes called on miners to “champion the fight against exploitation, abuse, human trafficking” and other ills affecting the industry and country as a whole.

Minister Broomes charged small scale miners to be “honest and bold” as they carry out their trade, noting that the APNU-AFC coalition government is committed to working with them for a better sector and country.

She said, too, that the time is ripe for miners to be responsible and take occupational, health and safety matters seriously.
“ ‘No deaths’ must be our motto,” said the Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources.

“While there are all the negatives attached to the mining industry, it is the industry that stands in this country,” she told the gathering of miners.

“I will not compromise my position when it comes to the regulations and rights of people,” Broomes added, noting that the meeting of miners reminded her of the struggles miners faced in 2010 when they were forced to meet at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

“Times have changed! We are here today; we will charter the new director. I am excited…we would go down in the history of this country where we would change the environment and the nature of the gold mining sector,” she declared.

She charged miners to return to the olden days when all categories of miners formed part of a family that was unbreakable. “Use today to bridge and bring back that familyhood that the mining industry should have,” she charged.

Former Parliamentarian under the People’s National Congress (PNC), Judith David, had no qualms about the issues affecting not only her, but the entire sector.

MORE SUPPORT
David believes that more support should be given to small scale miners, and she requested that Government provide excavators to assist small scale miners.

“It is time our Government help us small miners to get an excavator. When we finish, this gold is left in Guyana. Guyana benefits and this Government can call on any small miner at any time and say ‘I want a contribution’ and we put it in, so we need a contribution this morning…we need an excavator to work,” said the former Parliamentarian.

She explained that many small miners’ excavators have been seized as they have been unable to pay their monthly installments to the companies from which they had purchased the equipment. She said many miners had paid as much as $20M for the machines, but because of insufficient gold and money, the excavators were seized.

“I am not prepared to keep my dredge home for the next three months, because when you find the land to give me, I got to find an excavator to go to work,” David remarked.

“If not equipped with the necessary tools, we can’t work,” the impassioned miner told Ministers Broomes and Trotman.

She noted that it is necessary for miners to receive land that can be “worked” and are not “overworked”. According to David, many times the land provided to small miners has been overworked, and as such small miners end up losing millions of dollars.

Her request was met with overwhelming support from fellow miners. David’s dredge has been out of operation for approximately 14 months.

RAW DEAL
“We have been given a raw deal by GGMC and GGDMA. I have no apologies! We need land that we can work and gain, not work and hope to gain,” she declared.

Additionally, the feisty woman called on the Ministry of Natural Resources to ensure that small miners are provided with proper roads to access their mining locations — a call that was heeded by Minister Trotman.

Trotman accepted that the state of the roads in many of the mining districts is in dire need of repair. He said, too, that the fixing of the roads remains a major priority of Government.

“I am pleased to announce that the upgrade of these roads will be overlooked by the Ministries of Public Infrastructure and Communities, both of whom are represented here today,” he assured.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis, said he is moved by the passion that exists within the mining sector.

He told miners that the country is “moving”, the world is changing, and as such miners, too, have to become part of the change.

He explained that a ‘Green Economy’ does not only mean ensuring the environment is clean, but ensuring that the rights of citizens are protected.

“All of the problems raised here are on rights and the rule of law!” said Lewis.

He congratulated Minister Broomes on the role she has played in fighting for the rights of workers in every sector since taking office, and called for equality and observance of Occupational, Safety and Health rules.

“The way we use to do things we can’t continue doing them the same way,” he admonished.

NO WEIGHT
Additionally, Lewis noted that the issue of conflict of interest bears no weight. He said the company to which the Minister has been accused of being associated with, Troy Resources, was taken to court and convicted.

“Troy Resources was taken to court and convicted under Ms. Broomes as Minister. It is something people in this country are not aware of.”

He called on Broomes to remain resolute in her position. “Sweep on, Ms Broomes, continue sweeping on.”

Also present at the conference was Minister of Indigenous Affairs Sydney Allicock.

(agordon@guyanachronicle.com)

By Ariana Gordon