SIX small-scale miners received essential mining equipment on Monday from the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) as part of ongoing efforts to support production and encourage formal sector compliance.
The handover, held at the GGDMA Secretariat, included equipment packages for miners Melinda Parahoo, Jason De Santos, Dolly Wallace, Clifford Moses, Priscilla Milton, and Rich Miles Williams. Each package contained a 4-inch dredge, chainsaw, 2,500-watt generator, TCL 5 cubic-foot freezer, and various components such as pipes, hoses, impellers, and bearing blocks. Clifford Moses additionally received a 15-horsepower outboard motor engine.
Three of the recipients were Amerindians from the Middle Mazaruni region, reflecting the GGDMA’s engagement with Indigenous communities involved in the sector.
The association has linked the assistance to regulatory compliance, requiring recipients to provide evidence of their gold declarations at the end of the year, and to sell gold through the Guyana Gold Board or licensed dealers.
The GGDMA emphasised that these measures are intended to strengthen formal reporting and promote responsible mining practices.
The equipment handover follows the GGDMA’s Open Day on October 10, which focused on sectoral challenges, sustainable livelihoods, and compliance with declaration requirements.
The association said the initiative aims to help small miners resume operations while supporting the overall sustainability and resilience of Guyana’s mining sector.