Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 15, 2013 News
Residents of Kurupung in Region Seven, who depend generally on mining for their daily bread, are calling on the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud to issue them a plot of land, which is just about a five mile radius from the village.
According to residents, the said plot of land was utilised by the Diamond Mining Company for many years. But, they renounced ownership in 2009, and the plot of land was declared opened for miners of Kurupung to put in their claims.
After the land claims were put in, the residents said that they were told by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), that the land was closed. And unknowingly to them, it was subsequently given back to the Diamond Mining Company.
“After we done put in our claims and so, GGMC come and say that the land is closed, and that we can’t operate on it.
We didn’t make a fight over that, but now suddenly, the Diamond Mining Company come and they take over back this land,” one resident said.
It was noted that the small scale miners of Kurupung were looking forward to the mining lands as a means of developing their somewhat faltering community.
“We really need that piece of land. It gun help us to build our community. And this community needs improvement.
The school here has been closed for a whole school year, and we need to fix this, and the health sector, among other areas. We need this place. We are begging for it,” the resident said.
“That company can go somewhere else. Our community cannot. They don’t need it as much as we do. We are in a bad state, and we need help. We need this plot to make a good living,” he added.
The residents are asking for the land to be given to them as a gift as Kurupung celebrates 100 years as a community this year.
“We weren’t able to make a formal complaint, or request, because of how far away from the city we are, but we the residents of Kurupung are calling on the Honorable Minister to look into our situation.
We just want an ear. We called GGMC several times, but they couldn’t give us a definite answer.”
The residents have already drawn up a petition to send to both the Minister and the GGMC.
Meanwhile, when contacted yesterday, Assistant Commissioner of GGMC, Newell Dennison said that he is not aware of the matter, but urged that a formal complaint be made.
However the residents noted that they are not very confident with the GGMC, and just need to speak with the Minister once.
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