IN an effort to stamp out illegal mining, land raiding and abuse of small miners in Region 10, Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, on Thursday encouraged small-scale miners to form themselves into syndicates.

Minister Broomes was pleased to hear that one syndicate; Region 10 Syndicate Inc, has already been formed by some miners on the Wismar shore. Broomes said that though one syndicate may be enough for the region, representation can be made for different types of mining and different mining locations across Region 10. At the meeting held at the Egbert Benjamin Conference Center, scores of miners present took the opportunity to share their various problems with the minister as she revealed that her mission in Linden was to bring solutions to these problems.

Broomes along with the Regional Chairman, Renis Morian, and Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira, became audience to the seemingly frustrated miners, who expressed appreciation for the minister’s visit and her willingness to meet the common man, thus bringing needed assistance to their plight.

Some of the prevalent issues shared by the small-scale miners include the continuous abuse and exploitation meted out to them by large-scale miners and miners whom they would entrust with their property or machinery. Miner, Sherwin Mc Calmant, in tears, spoke of being a miner for several years and experiencing various challenges in the sector, but made one mistake of leaving his land and dredge with another miner, who after realising the mineral wealth of the land, coveted same. Mc Calmont petitioned the minister to intervene, since he has a family to feed.

Sharing similar sentiments was Melanie Charles, who had hopes of being a miner and had commenced the process of doing so. She had already acquired land and purchased some machinery, but entrusted her spanking new dredge engine to another miner, who has coveted her property without paying her the dividends for same.

Speaking on a more general note was Regional Democratic Councillor, Gordon Callender, who said that miners from other regions are raping Region 10 of their natural resources, while enriching themselves. Callender claimed that persons are smuggling timber and gravel by the truck loads from Region 10 in the nights and made recommendation for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to establish a check point at Wisroc to better monitor the mining operations and to catch the culprits.

Syndicate formation is the solution
Minister Broomes, after listening to the complaints, explained that as a veteran miner she is cognizant of the challenges meted out to small-scale miners and as a government minister she has responsibility to bring solutions. While giving varying solutions and promises of personal intervention, Minister Broomes outlined the fact that the establishment of the syndicates will alleviate some of the burning issues, since all members will now have equal rights to the mineral wealth on the land and will operate legally from a level playing field. “The idea of syndicate, you form yourself into a body and you get registered and then persons sign on to the syndicate…..everybody will benefit and benefit equally,” Broomes posited.

Not only miners to benefit
The junior Natural Resources Minister explained that the aim of the syndicate formation is to not only benefit miners but members who may have different interests. “Maybe you might want to have an Internet service, maybe you might want to sell dry goods, maybe somebody else might want to sell fuel…..we are talking empowerment because it will spill off,” Broomes said . The idea, she stressed is to become organised, follow the regulations and to use the initiative, not to the benefit of a few, but to guarantee equal ownership.

Being cognizant that many of the miners present were raiding illegal lands, she encouraged them to join the already formed syndicate, thus expanding its membership, since they will now be operating on legal lands, thus avoiding some of the problems they have been experiencing.

Minister Broomes reiterated that syndicate formation is the gateway for equality of small miners and pledged to give her support to Region 10 Syndicate Inc. To date there are 14 syndicates across Guyana and while there were many syndicates for decades, it was not as organised as is now.