Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud yesterday came under intense scrutiny over permission granted to a Brazil company in November, 2012 to survey the south east of the country for minerals, an area that his ministry had said that no mining permits had been granted.
The Permission of Geo-logical and Geophysical Survey (PGGS) to the Muri Brasil Ventures Ltd, while not a permit contains a clause which says that a maximum of 18 prospecting licences “shall be granted” for rare earth elements, bauxite, gold and diamonds and other minerals upon application.
The PGGS was yesterday circulated to the media anonymously and appeared to have been sent to leading government officials and members of opposition parties. The aim of the