Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Commodore Gary Best has warned that soldiers have no authority to enforce mining laws and as such miners should not submit themselves to any such attempts.
Best’s comments, in an advertisement in today’s newspaper titled ‘Notice to all miners’, come in wake of recent allegations of soldiers raiding and robbing mining camps in the country’s interior.
Best, who is also the Chairman of the Joint Services Coordinating Council categorically states in the ad, “officers and soldiers of the GDF are not authorised to conduct any mining operations, request to see and inspect any mining licenses or intermeddle into mining activities except in the presence of a GGMC Mining Officer.” It added that members of the mining community therefore must not submit themselves to any actions by officers and soldiers acting alone with respect to the enforcement of laws governing mining in Guyana.
Further, it said, no Guyana Police Force officer, GDF officer or soldier is authorised to enforce the mining laws of the country either together or with other members of the respective forces or separately without the presence of a GGMC Mining Officer.
“The Chief of Staff wishes to make it clear that the joint services stand ready to work with the mining community to make their operational environment safe and peaceful,” the ad said.
It was noted that “it is imperative” that all information on illegal activities be transmitted confidentially to the highest offices within the joint services for immediate action.
The army commended the efforts of some miners to report illegal activities and expressed hope that others will come forward.
With regard to the alleged illegal conduct of members of the GDF, anyone and everyone “found culpable will face the full force of the law”, he said.
