Unapproved prospectors at Marudi in the Rupununi will have to remove their equipment by Sunday as part of a deal reached between miners and the authorities during a mediation exercise at Lethem last weekend.
On April 23 and 24, a team from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) facilitated the mediation process aimed at resolving conflicts that had escalated between large scale mining company, Romanex, miners, and several communities in the South Rupununi. At the end of the meeting, all parties approved and signed an agreement that will chart the course forward for mining in the Marudi Mountains.
In a statement, the Ministry hailed the success of the exercise. It noted that the mediation process had its genesis at a meeting held at Aishalton in March 2016 with Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman and stakeholders from South Rupununi. “At the meeting, several concerns were raised of which, the conflicts related to mining in the Marudi Mountains was most prominent. The Minister had committed to facilitating a mediation process among the parties involved and subsequently appointed Maj. Gen. (retd) Joe Singh to do so,” the statement said.
It stated that during the process, Singh’s knowledge and experience provided an excellent foundation on which parties were able to express their concerns, while his skill and tact as a mediator was a key ingredient in helping them to arrive at a consensus and sign on to the principles that will govern their interactions.
According to the agreement reached, all miners and equipment other than those associated with the 70 operations identified by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) at the Marudi Mining Licence during their visit of March 15-16 will have to remove by May 1, 2016. This will be enforced by the GGMC.
A site visit coordinated by the MNR in collaboration with the stakeholders will be conducted no later than the 15th May. The visit will be led by MNR with representatives from Romanex Guyana Exploration Limited, Rupununi Miners Association, the South Rupununi Amerindian communities and the regulatory bodies, GGMC and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Among the issues to be addressed during the site visit are confirmation of the 70 operations and associated personnel within the Marudi mining licence as well as verification of the locations of the 70 operations. The visit will also determine the location and quantity of stockpiles and alluvial materials associated with the 70 operations. According to the agreement, no new excavation should take place but miners must work with existing material – stockpiles and alluvial.
Among other things, there will also be a discussion of alternative methodologies for non-use of mercury mining and the visit will seek to ascertain how soon the company and regulatory agencies can provide technical advice and support for improved recovery rate.
Following the visit, a separate report agreed to and compiled by the parties to the visit will be submitted to the MNR within a week of the completion of the visit to Marudi Mountain. The MNR will then consider and release the report with necessary instructions.
The parties also agreed that arrangements for the completion of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Mine Plan will be initiated by the Romanex Exploration Limited. These should include the integration of the Rupununi Miners Association and the concerns of the relevant Amerindian communities.
It was also agreed that Romanex will take steps to offer contractual work to the Rupununi Miners Association for remedial works in respect of environmental degradation at the Marudi mining licence. Further, the company, in consultation with the communities must ensure that the ESIA adequately addresses concerns relating to socio-economic and environmental impacts and enforcing the safeguards.
The signatories to the agreement were Marshall Mintz of Romanex, Sugreem Singh of the Rupununi Miners Association of Lethem, Tehanita Baretto of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation, Toshao Douglas Casimero for Aishalton, Manley Thomas for Awariwaunau Village, Toshao Ernest Thompson for Karaudanawa, Toshao Leonard Johnson for Achiwuib, Toshao Nicholas Fredericks for Shulinab, Toshao Patrick Gomes for Maruranau, Toshao John Augustus for Shea and Toshao Paulinus Albert for Potarinau.
