By Ariana Gordon

COMPLAINTS from a miner about his medium scale prospecting permit in the Dukwari mining area in the Cuyuni being raided repeatedly by illegal miners has resulted in the two alleged raiders being caught and Cease Work Orders (CWO) issued by law enforcement officials on February 18.Oliver Younge, the owner of the prospecting permit, filed complaints with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) last October but unfortunately was unable to get a mines officer to visit the location to address the matter.
A subsequent complaint was made last week and mines officer Vernon Underwood was successful in stopping the persons identified as Ramnarace Seegobin of Skeldon, Berbice and Raimundo Da Silva Lopes of Bartica from mining illegally on the property.

No mining is to be done on prospecting permits, Guyana Chronicle was informed, as the permits are only to be used for feasibility studies. It is after the prospecting is completed that a mining permit is granted by the GGMC.
Upon investigation of the identified location, it was discovered that two excavators were working the property. One mining operation was found setup in a manner to start working while another was in the process of moving to the area to begin work, a report by the mines officer stated.
The report submitted by Underwood shortly after his return to the city said an eight-inch land suction dredge and excavator allegedly registered to Ramnarace Seegobin was discovered. The dredge was being managed by Dannie Lindie, who identified himself to the officers as the General Manager of DK Mining, reportedly owned by Seegobin.

NO PERMIT
Lindie told the mines officer who was accompanied by ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) that he did not have a permit to operate at the location and he was in the process of moving the dredge because of low production. The man showed a production book to the mines officer but that book had no information. He noted that his recent production yielded one ounce and twenty pennyweights of raw gold but he used the retrieved mineral to purchase fuel to work.
The second dredge discovered was registered to Lopes but no document of registration was presented for an excavator being used on his dredge. Additionally, no book was produced when requested by officers, the report addressed to the manager of mines said.
When asked about the amount of gold produced, Lopes told the officers that he processed two ounces of raw gold but used one ounce to buy fuel to continue working.

CEASE WORK ORDERS
Given the compelling evidence against the duo, both Lindie and Lopes were instructed to cease all excavation and remove their dredges within 48 hours of the visit to Dukwari mining area. Cease Work Orders (CWO) were also issued.
Lopes was asked to hand over the processed gold to Underwood and the gold was then weighed, sealed and detained pending further investigation. An acknowledgement was also issued to Lopes. The gold collected weighted 20.4 pennyweights.
The serial numbers of the suctions, water engine and excavators were also recorded by the officers before departing the area. According to the report, it was discovered via an aerial survey that the property was “extensively mined”.

CHARGES RECOMMENDED
Based on the findings of the investigation, the mines officer has recommended that Seegobin and Lopes be charged separately for operating unregistered dredges and unregistered specified machinery under the regulations. It was also recommended that the duo be charged for failing to keep updated production records and operating the prospecting permit medium scale held by Oliver Younge, all in breach of the Mining Act and regulations.

STRICTER PENALTIES
But even as Younge is pleased with the investigation done by the GGMC officers, he is calling on the relevant authorities to institute stricter penalties against persons who raid mining properties. In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday, Younge, a miner for approximately twenty years, said raiding by the men has resulted in him losing millions. He said he has been paying the GGMC yearly for the property and has spent significant sums to upkeep the property which he acquired approximately two years ago.
“I think the charge that is likely to be instituted against these guys is going to be minimal…I want to see them face stern penalties,” he said, while noting that GGMC mines officers need to be better equipped as they carry out their duties.
He explained that he had to hire a helicopter to transport the mines officer to the site because the river is low and the only other route to the location is by air. The frustrated man told Guyana Chronicle that the Dukwari mining area is close to Venezuela and is not easily accessible. As such, those who raid mining properties take advantage of the limited human resource capacity of the GGMC.
“These persons are aware of what they are doing…and GGMC needs to know where everybody is mining,” said Younge.
He told this publication that his property has been overworked but he is yet to benefit from proceeds. He explained that in many cases, raiders smuggle the gold through Guyana’s porous borders.
“When worked like that the government doesn’t get any revenue…they are smuggling the gold; the gold goes to Venezuela and Brazil. Those countries are closer to the location than Georgetown.”
“These are some of the problems facing miners, and these things need to be looked into,” the forty-five-year old miner told Guyana Chronicle. Younge believes that in order to curb smuggling of minerals, the issues of raiding and the resource capacity of the GGMC have to be addressed.
“Stricter penalties have to be implemented or they will continue to pay the price and walk away with a minimal charge… it should not be life as usual…the penalties should serve as a deterrent,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes in an invited comment acknowledged Younge’s case and commended the work of the GGMC mines officer. The Minister said the Ministry of Natural Resources will not be condoning illegal activities. “We will not tolerate illegal mining…those found guilty would be brought before the court,” she said. The Minister noted that while the GGMC has come under fire in recent times as a result of allegations of corruption, there are “intelligent, competent and capable persons working at the Commission and I won’t allow one rotten tomato to spoil the entire basket.”
She said work is being done to rebuild the image of the GGMC and both she and Minister Trotman are both working with the Commission to have its integrity restored.