The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment yesterday conducted a lottery through which it issued 388 Special Mining Permits in all six mining districts in fulfilling a commitment to making more mining properties available to small and medium miners.
“The lottery is part of a holistic strategy involving several initiatives being undertaken by the Government to support small miners and to ensure they have an opportunity to access land for mining,” a press release from the Ministry said.
It noted that Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud had earlier stated that small miners had made calls for access to more lands for mining “and it is anticipated that the lottery provided favourable opportunities for all interested miners.”
The lotteries were held simultaneously at the Linden Enterprise Network in Linden, Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) Building at Kwakwani, Port Kaituma Community Centre and Bartica Market Square and were conducted by senior staffers of the GGMC and members of the Board of Directors of the GGMC.
The release said that over the past few weeks, field staff hosted sessions to provide technical support and guidance to potential applicants within the various mining districts that participated in the lottery for Special Mining Permits.
“Successful participants will be invited to a sensitization programme, while their Mining Permit is being processed, where presentations will be delivered on the accessibility and geological interpretation of the areas to ensure proper mining practices and management,” the release said.
“This is the second such initiative by the government for 2012 and a fulfilment of a commitment by [the Minister],” the release said. It noted that at the first lottery held on March 13, 2012, a total of 360 Special Mining Permits were issued.
