Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman and Minister in the Ministry, Simona Broomes visited Mahdia in Region Eight on Sunday and heard a range of complaints including about the poor state of roads in the mainly mining community.
A release from the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday said that the ministers were accompanied by officials from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Guyana Forestry Commission, Ministry of Public Infrastructure, the regional administration and Commander of ‘F’ Division, Ravindradat Budhram.
The release said that the state of the roads in the Potaro/Siparuni community was a major worry for residents. Trotman told the residents that paving of roads in Mahdia has been catered for in the 2016 National Budget which is expected to be presented to the National Assembly soon. He said that the project will be overseen by the Ministries of Public Infrastructure and Communities. He also said that the region’s water woes should soon come to an end as engineers from the Guyana Water Incorporated are in the area and are set to start working.
The residents were told that the APNU+AFC administration is concerned about the incidence of mining pit cave-ins. Last year, mining pit accidents led to a number of fatalities, the worst occurring at Mowasie, where 11 miners died. A commission of inquiry was held as a result. The release said that since then mining operations at Mowasie have been closed down and Trotman told the meeting that the mine will not be reopened until its safety standards are verified. He stated that operations at Jumbie Creek, where a miner died after a wall caved-in last year has been reopened.
“Many modifications have been made and it’s supposed to be a model [of] how things should be done and how to make sure that walls don’t collapse,” he said.
The release also stated that the coalition government’s Region Eight Member of Parliament, Gloria Bancroft, alleged that there were occurrences where reports of sexual abuse were being swept under the rug by police officers who are believed to be taking bribes. “When people make a report to the Mahdia Police Station, they get no satisfaction,” she related.
Broomes in response called on Commander Budhram to ensure that the law is upheld, particularly as it relates to the sale of alcohol and drugs to minors.
“Commander, it is one of the areas I am asking of you, personally, to have the police take a different line of action to protect these young girls, we have to protect them… charge the owners of these businesses,” the release quoted her as saying.
The Commander, the release said, gave assurances of his full support to ensuring that law and order is maintained in Region Eight. In relation to complaints made by residents of instances of police misconduct, Budhram said that the Force has “zero-tolerance” for police roguery and emphasised that any officer who is found to be in collision with the law will be dismissed.
The release said that he also gave residents his personal phone number to contact him directly if they are being pushed around by law enforcement officers.
The overlapping of a boundary which is now before the court was the subject of an extensive discussion at the meeting. At the end of the meeting, Trotman urged the parties involved to work for an amicable solution.
Toshao of Micobie, John Andrews lamented that most of his community’s titled lands have been issued to miners. The Minister advised Andrews that the law states that no mining can take place on their land without the Toshao and the Village Council’s permission. Trotman also said that President David Granger has ordered a Land Commission to be established by March to review all lands, both ancestral and leased.
“We will ensure that there is lands for pork knockers, land for everybody just to reassure you. This is the national patrimony of Guyana and everybody has a right to it,” Trotman said, according to the release.
On Friday, discussions are expected to continue in Georgetown when the Natural Resources Ministry hosts a gathering for small-miners at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.
