| — Gov’t to facilitate small miners’ access to high yielding landBy Jarryl BryanMinister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, has made it clear that there are too many complaintsMinister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotmanfrom mining operators. This year,Addison Russell Cubs Jersey, should there be no improvement in the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), another management shakeup is imminent, he said.This was communicated during the small scale miners’ forum at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre yesterday. It was a reference to last month, when GGMC Commissioner,Carlos Martinez Cardinals Jersey, Rickford Vieira was sent on leave. In addition,Matt Carpenter Cardinals Jersey, the board came to an end on December 31 and Chairman of the board, Clinton Williams, has since been replaced by Stanley Ming.Trotman stated that the sheer volume of complaints calls into question the efficiency of the commission and was symptomatic of the broken regulatory system miners have to endure. He also decried the numerous reports of malpractice and “strange things” that have been ongoing at GGMC.While many believe that the Minister has to personally deal with the concerns of miners within the industry, GGMC in fact has a mandate to deal with many of these concerns, he said. He also noted that a Minister stepping in can constitute interference,Nolan Ryan Mets Jersey, but is necessary at times.“Because the system is so broken, people believe that it is only at the level of the Minister or the President that they can get redress,Orlando Cepeda Cardinals Jersey,” Trotman stated. “That has to change. When a Minister is appointed, that Minister has to ensure that (whatever) policy decisions taken by Cabinet are implemented.”“But when a person goes to the GGMC and cannot get redress, it bottles up in them and it comes to the point where they want to explode. It shouldn’t have to be the Minister to have to ensure a miner gets redress; that’s the Commission’s job. But because the system is so broken, we have had no choice.”The Minister said that when he has to deal with these matters personally, something the GGMC ought to cover, the enforcement of policy decisions is stymied in the Ministry. The Minister issued a stern warning to GGMC to get its act together.“We have to fix the broken system, where the agencies (are concerned). Late last year we did a wash down (at GGMC’s management level),Red Schoendienst Cardinals Jersey,” the Minister said. “And this year we are prepared to do another wash down. (There are reports of) all kinds of mal practice and strange things happening (at GGMC).”For his part,Jackie Bradley Jr Red Sox Jersey, acting GGMC Commissioner Newell Dennison noted that mining is a process and that while speculation might be rife about who committed whatever acts of injustice against a miner, the commission has to work with the facts. In addition, Dennison took pains to say that GGMC was not the police or the military.Trotman also revealed that he has instructed the Closed Areas Committee to work with the Commission in identifying and allowing small miners more access to land with large gold deposits, in a matter of months.Small scale miners have complained for years that while they have got land that was already “overworked”,Carl Yastrzemski Red Sox Jersey, influential large scale miners have got prime virgin land. Miners have leveled these allegations against GGMC. Last year revelations were also leveled against Williams of engaging in the practice.It was alleged that Williams, as Chairman of the Board, used his authority to help his friend, Ivor English, acquire eight blocks of mining lands in 2014. Days before general elections in May, Williams was granted control of those mining lands via an “Irrevocable Power of Attorney” (POA).GGMC is already under fire for its management of the country’s mining sector. Reports had pointed fingers at possible wrongdoing, staff shortages and discrimination with miners and lands.Miners themselves have been complaining about GGMC’s monitoring of the mining camps.Williams had ordered an investigation and led a vote of no confidence against the GGMC Commissioner, Rickford Vieira,Justin Grimm Cubs Jersey, and others. |
