Almost 700 miners have outstanding payments for environmental bonds dating to 2008 and if payments are not made soon, their mining blocks would be deemed abandoned.
The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) in an ad in today’s Sunday Stabroek, published a list of 681 defaulting miners. According to the ad, the persons hold Special Mining Permits and Mining Permit Medium Scale blocks won by way of lotteries held by the GGMC. “Allottees are hereby advised that the outstanding bond payments should be made to the Land Management Division not later than six weeks after the date of publication of this notice, failing which the properties will be deemed abandoned,” the ad said.
Commissioner of the GGMC Rickford Vieira in a brief comment confirmed that the payments relate to environmental bonds. Mining Permit holders are required to post an environmental bond in the sum of $100,000 annually for each Permit. He said that the bond would be used to remedy environmental damage after a miner would have mined an area.
Among the big miners listed as not having paid the environmental bond are Edward Hopkinson and Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association head Patrick Harding.
