Dear Editor,
Your article in Stabroek News dated January 8, 2010, entitled ‘Lumumba mining deal raises queries’ refers.
The Mariwa Sardine-Hill Mineral Property, as it is known, was originally granted to Mr Odinga Lumumba in 1991.
In 1992, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) was informed of a joint-venture arrangement between Mr Odinga Lumumba and Roraima Mining Company (RMC) whose principal was Dr Grantley Walrond, whereby 85% of Lumumba’s rights and obligations was assigned to RMC.
In the course of time, even after a number of concessions were given, the licence terms and conditions were not met, and the GGMC cancelled the licence. Mariwa Sardine-Hill was then put to public auction in 2008 and was won by Messrs C. Baboolall and Alfro Alphonso.
Subsequently, both Dr Walrond and Mr Lumumba separately filed court proceedings objecting to the grant of a prospecting licence to the above-mentioned persons and an order nisi was issued thus preventing the GGMC at that stage from proceeding further until the court would have dealt with the substantive matter.
Messrs Baboolall & Alphonso later requested a refund of the auction payments made to the GGMC, and the latter acquiesced in view of the fact that the resolution in the court may have taken some time.
Dr Walrond and Mr Lumumba then petitioned President Bharrat Jagdeo to have the property granted to them.
Having considered the petition and having accepted the advice of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds (the Minister Responsible for Mines and Minerals) that there is no impediment to the grant of the request, the President upheld the petition.
Accordingly, Mariwa Mining Co Inc (with shareholding and directorship of Dr Grantley Walrond and Mr Lumumba) applied for a prospecting licence for Mariwa Sardine-Hill. As is legally required, the GGMC advertised in the Official Gazette the Notice of Intention to Grant a Prospecting Licence and no objection was made during the statutory 21-days objection period.
Concerning the reported sale of equity in the property, it must be noted that prospecting licence holders are at liberty to enter into joint-venture arrangements, which is a common approach to finance exploration works, and further that the Mining Act allows for foreign companies to hold large-scale tenureship either partially or wholly. All licence obligations remain the same whatever the ownership of the property.
Yours faithfully,
William H Woolford
Commissioner (ag)
Guyana Geology
and Mines Commission