Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
May 06, 2013 News
Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud on Saturday bowed to pressure and announced that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) will cancel the mining lottery for South Rupununi, which took place last week in Lethem.
This followed several calls by residents of Aishalton, Maruranau, Achiwib, Shea and other communities of the South Rupununi, who rejected the lottery, claiming that the method being employed undermined their chances of acquiring the prime lands released by the Romanex Mining Company.
Some residents had also contended that the lands allocated through the lottery system had transgressed traditional Amerindian lands.
Saturday’s decision was welcomed by hundreds of residents from the South Rupununi during a meeting which was held at the Aishalton Secondary School to discuss the recent Special Mining Lottery.
Also present at the meeting were Yvonne Pearson, Advisor to the Minister, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs; Ashton Simon, Indigenous Specialist, Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment; Donald Singh, Manager, Land Management Division, GGMC and Wilson Lorentio, Regional Chairman, Region Nine.
Minister Persaud in continuing engagement and consultation on mining within Amerindian Communities also stated that his Ministry will continue to engage all the peoples of Guyana, including Amerindians to ensure equal opportunities within the natural resources sector.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and its regulatory agencies will continue to consult and engage all stakeholders to improve the management of Guyana’s natural wealth,” Persaud pointed out.
The Minister added that government is committed to developing the natural resources of Guyana by making more mining properties available, but at the same time respecting the rights of the Amerindian people.
This he said will be done in a transparent manner for all interested persons, but will be governed by the Mining Act and Regulations of the GGMC.
He stressed that the government will not condone illegal mining as the GGMC is boosting its capacity to increase monitoring, compliance and enforcement within all mining districts.
However, the Minister assured hundreds of miners and residents present that his Ministry will continue to engage all miners, including Amerindians to ensure equal access to mining properties through a transparent mechanism.
The mining lottery was born out of a bitter struggle by the miners to secure their access to lands at Marudi, Region Nine that they have been mining for decades.
This was after they were forcefully removed by heavily armed police ranks and some other private security concerns two months ago.
Their removal made the headlines when a video tape and photographs emerged showing a policeman whipping a woman and her children, who were lying on the Marudi trail leading to the mining district.
After the Marudi Incident, the Rupununi Miners Association met with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and Minister Robert Persaud to discuss the issue.
At that meeting, the Minister promised to give 25 Special Mining Lotteries to Miners from the Marudi district. This special lottery would have guaranteed that lands in the gold-rich Romanex concession go to miners from the Rupununi.
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