Business owners in Region One say that they have been given 72 hours to demolish their business structures and vacate areas in Big Creek, Masawini and Arakaka by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) even though they paid for and were granted permission by the body.
Although calm, the group of men and women who congregated at A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Head Office, after travelling from Region 1 to voice their displeasure, was visibly concerned about their future prospects.
APNU MP Richard Allen explained yesterday that the business owners had made the expensive trip to the capital to meet with GGMC officials, including its Commissioner, Rickford Vieira and Perma-nent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Joslyn McKenzie.
He said that in yesterday’s meeting they were informed that the files of the persons who claim to have been given permits to occupy lands and start businesses would have to be examined. This was supposed to have been completed by yesterday afternoon. Allen said they were also told that a mistake was most likely made since the land given to persons in Big Creek, Masawini and Arakaka should not have been distributed to begin with.
When asked if the claims made were true, Vieira told Stabroek News that he would be unable to make a pronouncement on the issue until the matter is looked into, and rules and regulations associated with the transactions in question are checked.
Allen said that the move by the GGMC was unprecedented and unacceptable especially since many of the persons present have been in possession of documents granting them permission to operate their business in the areas for years, some as far back as 2007.
He explained that a series of robberies that were occurring in the area a few years back prompted the community of miners and shop owners to centralize their individual business operations. As such a business district was created where all of the shops that were spread across Masawini, Arakaka and Big Creek could now be found in a centralized spot in each area.
This, he said, offered the business owners better security, as well as a community, since many of the shops also double as homes. He added that the business owners have been residing in the various areas so long that many have them have opted to build permanent structures, structures that they have now been ordered to demolish.
Allen explained that the order to demolish was made via a letter which was sent by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environ-ment. According to Allen, the letter declared that the persons carrying out operations in the mentioned areas had no permission to do such and ordered them to move within 72 hours.
However several of the persons who travelled from Region 1 produced receipts confirming payments made to the GGMC as recent as last month. In addition to this, several of the persons also produced documents signed and stamped by the GGMC, authorizing the holders to occupy the lands they were one, and carry out their individual business ventures. “They collected money from persons; $10,000 was paid for ½ acre of land after which a permit authorizing its occupation and use was issued,” said Allen.
He lamented GGMC’s decision to take money from the business owners in January, only to declare that they are illegally occupying lands for which they paid for.
Junior Kendall, one of the business owners who made the trip from Region 1, stated that he moved to Big Creek with his wife since 2007. The man said that when he moved, he sought and was granted permission by GGMC to trade in precious minerals.
Kendall said that he has since constructed a permanent structure on his land for his home and business operations, which he has now been ordered to dismantle and vacate in 72 hours.
Another of the business operators said that she moved to Region 1 since 2005 and has been living and operating there ever since. The woman said that in that very year she sought and acquired land as well as permission to operate a shop and a small scale mining operation.
The woman stated that when she last spoke with officials from GGMC she was informed that they were only in possession of documents from 2007 to the present date.
