Incensed at what it said were attempts by government officials to criminalize the entire mining industry over the 20% drop in gold declarations, the miners association has summoned an emergency meeting for June 26th to address the way forward.
In a statement yesterday the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) also pilloried the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment over the resuscitation of an “archaic” law which it says threatens miners and other stakeholders with jail terms of up to five years for failing to sell gold within a specified period.
Sources say this law is the Gold Board Act of 1981 which had contained stringent provisions meant to stamp out smuggling and illicit foreign currency