Amid a row between the government and miners over a six-month notice period, the associations representing prospectors and foresters have agreed there is no real land use conflict between them.
In a joint statement published in yesterday’s Sunday Stabroek, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and the Forest Products Associa-tion (FPA) also said that the government should readily agree to accommodate workable proposals in the absence of a National Land Use Policy and Plan.
The statement appeared to be a closing of ranks between the two groups to address mutual concerns stemming from new government proposals linked to the Low Carbon Development Strate-gy and the forest protection agreement with the Kingdom of Norway.
A contentious proposal – a six-month notification period before mining can commence – has had miners up in arms and Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud has said that one of the aims of this proposal was to reduce conflict that “historically” existed between foresters and miners. But in a joint statement yesterday, the GGDMA and the FPA dismissed the need for “short-term notices” stating that this may prove impractical on the ground.
Persaud had told a parliamentary committee last Wednesday that the notification proposal had flowed out of a meeting between the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) and the Environ-mental Protection Agency (EPA). “What we sought to do about 13 months ago…we brought all the agencies together…and we looked at protocols that we can establish to reduce the conflict and to ensure that there is enhanced coordination”, he had said. He stated at a meeting in Bartica on Saturday that there are nine ongoing conflicts between miners and foresters.
However, in their Joint Statement yesterday, the GGDMA and the FPA said that there is no real land use conflict (perceived or otherwise) between legal miners and loggers as there are workable proposals wherein a logger can operate within the forest/mining concession based on commercial interest of each party’s legitimate business. They stated that government should readily agree to accommodate suggestions for such practices in order to maximize resource use in the absence of and until there is a National Land Use Policy and Plan.
Further, the entities agreed that there should be no decisions that will have a negative impact on the social and economic life of the stakeholders. “The proper mechanism to bring about greater coordination and collaboration is a clear and practical land use plan thereby eliminating the need for short-term notices which may prove impractical on the ground for either sector”, they declared. According to the statement, the sub-committee of the GGDMA and the FPA strongly believes that with proper land zoning at the national and forest/mining concessions levels, both sectors with the support of the sector agencies can plan and beneficially utilize allocated areas in the national interest of Guyana.
The six-month requirement – which is among several issues currently being discussed by a committee set up by President Bharrat Jagdeo – is being strenuously opposed by the mining sector. In the mining town of Bartica, a protest is planned for today, during which the entire community is expected to be shut down. Full support has been garnered from the community, Frederick McWilfred of the Committee of Concerned Barticians said. The boat passenger service between Parika and Bartica is expected to halt and businesses in the Region Seven township will be closed for the day. Bartica – the largest community in that Region – is a major stopping and supply point for persons heading into the interior. It will be the severest action to be taken thus far by the sector in objection to the proposal, which government, from all indications is still pursuing. The miners have emphasized that it is their livelihood that they are fighting for and the issue is not a political one.
Cancelled
A planned visit by PNCR leader, Robert Corbin, to the community yesterday was cancelled, residents said. Residents had said that politicians were not welcome in the middle of their dispute. This is politically significant as Region Seven and Bartica, in particular, are traditional strongholds of the PNCR.
The government for its part, while giving assurances that mining will not be impaired or shut down, has signalled that it is proceeding with a notification period. Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn at the meeting on Saturday indicated that a notice period is already on the books. “What is required and what is already inherent in the laws is that you have to give notification. Notification so that… we’d be able to identify, evaluate and ensure that the things and the practices we do and they way we do it and the way we evolve it that it is sustainable”, he said. Persaud at the meeting said too that the proposals (at the Committee level) are being so crafted that for persons who operate within a certain area, given the size and for a certain defined period, they might be exempted if that is agreed upon… “even in terms of following the six months notification”. The committee is expected to wrap up its work this week but earlier the GGDMA had expressed concern that the committee was not addressing the issues raised by the association in a serious manner. President of the GGDMA, Norman McLean was forced to resign last Friday after miners expressed no confidence in him.
It was on December 4 last year that Prime Minister Samuel Hinds wrote to Commissioner of the GGMC, William Woolford outlining three initiatives, two of which were to be proceeded with “immediately”. One of this states that “Every miner must give written notice of at least six months via the GGMC to the GFC for any cutting or otherwise destroying, injuring or felling (killing of any tree)… [This] shall not be proceeded with until the GFC would have granted its no objection to the GGMC.” The letter has since been withdrawn by President Jagdeo.
Private dinner
The miners have rapped the government over their failure to consult with them on the measure. They noted that it was only at a private dinner for 20 miners that Jagdeo hosted on December 8, that the letter was withdrawn by the President, when they voiced their concern. A committee was then set up to look into this and several other concerns. At the time, the Office of the Prime Minister had noted that “the recent agreement with Norway through which Guyana receives payments for avoided deforestation and degradation now puts a significant monetary and moral cost to any unnecessary degradation of forest areas for any purpose”.
On November 9, 2009 Guyana and Norway inked a Memorandum of Understand-ing that will see Oslo paying US$30 million ($6.2 billion) next year and potentially up to a total of US$250 million ($51.7 billion) by 2015 for this country to preserve its forests. Under the partnership, Guyana will accelerate its efforts to limit forest-based greenhouse gas emissions and protect its rainforest as an asset for the world. Norway will provide financial support to Guyana at a level based on this country’s success in limiting emissions. This will enable Guyana to start implementing its Low Carbon Development Strategy.
The six-month notice period and several other recent measures have been linked to the government’s pursuit of the LCDS and the Norway agreement, of which transparency and consultation are supposed to be critical pillars. It has been noted that ever since the LCDS came into being the authorities have been taking steps to tighten regulations in the relevant industries and the mining industry has seen increased focus, with miners being told that they would have to radically transform their mindset and operations. Jagdeo has stated that the LCDS would not see a cessation of activities within the forest, and he assured that no rule would be made to shut down the industry. However, several miners have openly stated that with the proposals now being floated, the industry would be reduced to 10 to 15 small and medium scale miners. Industry operators note that in excess of 100,000 persons are directly and indirectly supported by the industry.
In their joint statement, the GGDMA and the FPA noted that at a meeting on January 28, they agreed to full collaboration and cooperation between the two entities and that equal opportunities must be given to both sectors for development considering the multiple-use nature of forestry. “More important, however, is the sustainable livelihoods of all stakeholders who have been operating legally in their respective sectors. No sector is dominant over the other”, they said.
