The Natural Resources Ministry on Wednesday said Government is committed to supporting the work of miners as it dismissed claims by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) of attempting to ‘divide and rule’ them.
The GGDMA in a statement to the media accused the Ministry of Natural Resources of attempting to fragment the sector by its push for the establishment of syndicates across the country.
But Minister within that Ministry,Simona Broomes, made it clear that the formation of syndicates by small miners is geared at empowering small-scale miners who were placed at a disadvantage due to lack of resources.
Broomes said the Natural Resources Ministry is not-partisan to any category of miners and noted that there is a dire need for social cohesion among them.
“We inherited a divided mining sector… since I joined the Ministry of Natural Resources in 2016, I have called on miners to work together… so as to break the division. It is not this Government’s intention to divide its people and it is not the intention of the Ministry of Natural Resources to do so either.”
The minister, who was once a miner,explained that the formation of syndicates and the ability of small miners to access lands to mine unhindered is being done in a transparent manner.
“Everything is being done transparently, we are not hiding anything… we are rolling out the good life and miners are coming together through syndicates… it is overwhelming,” Broomes said, while noting that the APNU+AFC Government is responding to the plight of the people.
Over the years, small miners have complained about their inability to access lands to mine and many have thus far lauded the efforts of the Natural Resources Ministry to assist them through syndicates.
Landlordism has been a major issue for miners and the matter was engaging the Special Land Use Committee,once chaired by former Public Works Minister Robeson Benn.
The GGDMA on Tuesday questioned the agenda of Minister Broomes for her push for the establishment of syndicates.
“While the Jnr. minister has been in her post for approximately one year, it is interesting to note that before now she had not attempted to establish these syndicates.”
The mining body labelled the actions of the minister as a tactic to ‘divide and rule’ miners to detract their attention from immediate threats to the survival of the industry.
“This move by the Jnr minister is directly geared at fracturing the small and medium-scale mining industry by taking advantage of the “crab in a barrel” mentality that unfortunately exists in the industry, and thereby gaining control over a chunk of a certain scale of miners to support current and future agendas. This type of rhetoric will only do long-term damage to the industry and the relationship between the various scales of miners.”
NOT NEW
But Minister Broomes told Guyana Chronicle that the provision of lands to miners who are part of syndicates is not new and noted that same has been happening since 1994.
“There are those who have benefited from syndicates in the past and continue to benefit…. This is not new… we as a Government promised to make lands available to miners and we are fulfilling our promise. We are not trying to detract from issues facing miners…we are not under pressure from the GGDMA or the GWMO.”
Recently, Finance Minister Winston Jordan and Guyana Revenue Authority Commissioner General,Godfrey Statia,met with miners to discuss tax measures. Many miners believe that the implementation of the tax measures as stipulated by law and implemented by the GRA will prove arduous on them.
But Minister Broomes made it clear that “miners are strong people who are never afraid of speaking out when they have problems”.
She noted that the move to have syndicates formed across the country is not about ruling but about “empowering the people”.
“Since 1994 syndicates were established at Puruni,” said Broomes, who noted that miners have complained bitterly about the unfairness of the lottery system used to obtain lands.
COMPLAINTS
“They complained about the lack of guidance, maps, being given swamps and mines being worked out… as a Government, we believe that the syndicates are fair… like the lottery, syndicates will follow the same process and have to go through the Closed Area Commission… this is a very transparent process.”
The minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources noted that it is not her Ministry that is responsible for the formation of the syndicates, but the miners themselves.
“We are just providing the opportunity,” she added, while stressing that it is not a “crab in a barrel” situation.
Broomes said she has noted the many attacks being thrown at her by the GGDMA but said those attacks will not deter her from her duties.
She made it clear that she intends to work with all categories of miners so that all can benefit from the opportunities which exist within the sector.
“I will call on the Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton,to meet with all stakeholders in the industry,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Natural Resources Ministry in a statement on Wednesday said the Government recognises all categories of miners- small, medium and industrial scale (large) and noted that given the plethora of applications received from small miners who complained of not having available lands to mine, the Ministry decided to address the need through syndicates.
“The Government of Guyana is as pleased to be associated with syndicates initiative as it is to support the work of the GGDMA and is prepared to meet with all miners to explain its intentions and mediate any tensions that may have arisen by the mistaken interpretation of the role and purpose of its initiatives.”
The Ministry said it is committed to working with all miners with the “singular objective being to maximise the recovery and declaration of gold and other mineral resources in an environmentally responsible and safe manner”.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources iterates that it is absolutely not its, nor the Government of Guyana’s intention to put miners against each other or to ‘divide and rule’ in any way,” the statement added.
During 2016, over 235 blocks of mining lands were distributed to small miners; a process which will continue through the Closed Area Committee.