The Brazilian miner who created a furore on Wednesday when he said he had received permission to mine on government reserve land in Kamarang this year, has presented his documents which are contrary to his initial reports.
Andre Fumiere initiated questions about the conduct of Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) head Karen Livan, when during an interactive forum between the Ministry of Natural and the Environment and the Brazilian community held Wednesday at the Celina Atlantic Resort, he stated that he was confused as to what measures he should take in obtaining permits for his employees, given that he was working on a state reserve. He asked for the minister’s help.
“I work in a state mining reserve. I work in a government area so ah who is gonna be my sponsor?” Fumiere asked
Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud, visibly perplexed, sought clarity asking, “What do you call a state mining reserve? There is nothing like a state mining reserve.”
To which Fumiere replied with a sharp and contradictory, “Yes!”
“Where is this? And you got permission from whom?” Persaud asked.
Fumiere replied, “Kamarang… The GGMC.”
Still somewhat confused, Persaud probed, “Are you a Guyanese?”
After the non-national miner responded in the negative Persaud once again took to questioning. “So how you got permission from the GGMC?”
“I don’t know I got a contract,” said Fumiere and then stated that it was signed by the commissioner.
The minister then asked the GGMC Commissioner to explain Fumiere’s position after vocally chastising her memory as he questioned her authority. “Karen, you gave somebody permission and you don’t know who you gave that permission… So who told you to give him permission?”
An embarrassed Livan attempted to explain, “That goes back historically when the GGMC gave state mining reserves on a case by case basis award depending…” she was cut off by the minister before she could finish.
“How many Brazilians have access to that land?” Persaud asked.
“I would have to check that,” she stated.
After interrogating both Fumiere and the GGMC Commissioner and requesting that Fumiere present the documents he had left at home, Persaud concluded, “That is what it exposes sometimes. We have agencies of the government themselves, and in this case, the GGMC of itself is encouraging lawlessness and it is in a very open way tolerating the flagrant violation of our laws, and that is why sometimes we penalize the communities and illegal miners when we ourselves are the culprits.”
Yesterday, as requested of him, Fumiere took his documents to both the GGMC and the Ministry of Natural Resources. When his documents were checked by the GGMC it was found that he was given permission on October 13, last year to mine on state reserve land in the Kamarang area. Persaud had ordered the freezing of permits on state land to begin in December last year.
Fumiere told Stabroek News that when he visited the Ministry of Natural Resources he was told that the minister was busy in a meeting and he should return, which he promised to do. However, he said, someone at the GGMC informed him that the documents would be given to the Ministry of Natural Resource since they were Xeroxed.
Fumiere, when questioned by Stabroek News on Wednesday, had informed of how he began working on the reserve saying that it was through a bargaining agreement with the government. Further, he stated that he had lived in Guyana for over 12 years and was contemplating filing for citizenship. He said the area in Kamarang that he mines had no engineering infrastructural development and because of logistics the area could have only been accessed by plane.
In 2008, he approached the government and through a 50/50 agreement they agreed to build a road blasting though mountainous terrain. “In 2008, I started to build a road… I had a contract there but I stopped to build a road because one coca cola was $1,000 because of long distance and you had to fly. So I build this road for 3 years in partnership with Guyana government and finish road in 2011.”
In return for the development contribution he made to the community, Fumiere said, he received a contract from the government to mine on a part of the reserve and he currently employs Amerindian villagers and four Brazilians.
“I got the contract from the government and I pay seven per cent to the GGMC and tribute for the government. I also sell all my gold to the GGMC. I don’t know what to do so I ask. I have been in Guyana 12 years. I help to develop there and build road and now everybody benefit,” he said.
When contacted yesterday, Minister Persaud said the issue was currently being investigated and an email with further questions could be sent if any other information was needed, since he was busy.
