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Govt shuts down mining operations at Aranaputa
—Suspends permit issued to NDC
Kaieteur News- Following public outcry over a mining agreement between the Aranaputa Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in Region Nine and foreign company, Sol Nascente Incorporated, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat has clarified that the company was never issued a mining licence and that the NDC project has since been suspended.
Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, in Aranaputa, Region 9 on Tuesday
Earlier in March, reports surfaced that the Aranaputa NDC had entered into a mining agreement with Sol Nascente Incorporated.
According to information from the Department of Public Information (DPI), the signing was attended by the NDC Chair, Gillian Rodrigues, and Sol Nascente’s Director, Luis Antonio, along Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and the ministry’s Legal Officer, Miriam Andrew-Ming.
However, at the time, little information was disclosed about the agreement or the company itself. Following the announcement, Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock voiced his concerns, particularly about the lack of environmental and social impact assessments and the absence of consultations with the affected communities. “No Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was done, and there was no consultation with the communities that will be affected. The residents are now finding out what was done after the fact. When they said they did extensive consultation, that was a lie,” Allicock had said.
In response, Minister Bharrat traveled to Aranaputa on Tuesday for an interactive discussion with residents about their concerns. During the meeting, he announced that the mining permit issued to the NDC had been suspended.
Minister Bharrat told this publication that Sol Nascente was never directly issued a licence. “A permit was issued to Aranaputa NDC. The NDC then partnered with that foreign company. No permit can be issued to Sol Nascente,” he noted.
DPI reported that the minister said, “I want to state clearly that our mining act states that medium and small-scale mining cannot be done by non-nationals. I just want to make that very clear because there may be a misconception that this permit was given to a Brazilian investor. Rather the permit, the special mining permit was given to the Arunpunta Neighbourhood Democratic council.”
He continued, “Any local Guyanese, any local miner can partner with a foreign investor in the small and medium scale sector but the property or the permit must be the local or the Guyanese.”
He further explained that the initial issuing of the permit was a result of a community engagement with the Aranaputa NDC. The NDC had written directly to the minister, requesting permission to commence mining projects in the community.
Providing further clarity on the situation, Minister Bharrat said, “At that meeting, there was overwhelming support against mining in the North Rupununi. Almost everyone that spoke, they were against the mining in the North Rupununi, citing the freshwater, the source of the freshwater, citing the fishing that is engaged by the Amerindian communities, citing the vast wetland and the interest in preserving that which we respect as a government too. And as a result of that, we would have suspended the special mining permit for the Aranaputa NDC.’
Moreover, the project has also faced strong opposition from Visit Rupununi, a non-profit organization focused on environmental conservation and sustainable tourism.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the organization condemned the agreement between the Aranaputa NDC and Sol Nascente, citing concerns over the lack of due diligence and community consultation. The organization outlined that the Rupununi region is an ecological and cultural treasure, home to thousands of indigenous and non-indigenous residents who rely on the land, rivers, and forests for their livelihoods. It also highlighted the dangers of mining near communities, referencing the environmental and social fallout experienced in Marudi, South Rupununi. “The long-term consequences of mining near communities are well-documented: environmental degradation, health hazards, cultural disruption, and the erosion of sustainable livelihoods for future generations,” Visit Rupununi said.
(Govt shuts down mining operations at Aranaputa)
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