Illegal miners who were removed from the Romanex concession at Marudi, Region 9 will be charged shortly as the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission has already submitted a document detailing the names of persons and charges to be laid.
“Charges will be laid soon” a source at the GGMC yesterday confirmed. However the source said that the document submitted by the GGMC was sent to the Ministry of Natural Resources’ legal officer for it to be analyzed before final word on the nature of the charges.
Two week ago, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) swooped on the area and discovered 14 dredges working illegally. Cease orders were issued to those that were actually operating and the others were told to move on. The GGMC later said that charges were being prepared against the dredge operators.
When contacted yesterday, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud informed that the ministry had collected the document and confirmed that it was with the legal team. “We have it but we asked our legal people to look at it”, he said.
GGMC had said that with support from the police force it was removing over 14 illegal dredges and other mining equipment from the area while stating that royalties and taxes were evaded. “The operators of these dredges were engaged in the removal of Guyana’s minerals and evasion of payment of royalties and taxes on the minerals extracted”, it had stated.
“To date not a single gram of gold has been declared by any of the operators and there are no records of production which is a breach of the Mining Regulations,” it said, while adding that all the minerals removed were illegally sold. Some miners later produced receipts disputing this and a probe was ordered by Persaud. That probe too has not yet been completed.
GINA noted that on Thursday, ministry officials met with miners and among general concerns raised were efforts to end illegal mining in the Marudi Mountain and access to mining properties by small miners in the location.
It added that it was agreed that through representatives of the Rupununi Miners’ Association that GGMC’s efforts to curb illegal mining will be effected by special planning and land management. “This will also be used as a guide towards building government’s capacity to undertake integrated regional planning procedures and better manage its mapping, cadastral and land administration data base; they will collaborate with the GGMC and the Guyana Police Force in the ongoing investigation of the police-supported operation at Marudi Mountain where allegations of police excesses were made, and a Special Mining Lottery will be held on March 30, 2013 in Lethem for legitimate small miners/residents of Region 9,” GINA noted, while adding that the association indicated its support of the ongoing review of Romanex Mining Licence for the Marudi Mountain.
Stabroek News was told that the lottery will be divided into two parts, one consisting of 25 parcels for 25 dredge owners who worked the Romanex concession and another 25 for other persons from the Rupununi district.
He said presently they are checking the identities and validity of the names of the persons to submit to the Ministry of Natural Resources.
