The ongoing dispute between the Batavia Village Council and a Bartica miner over two mining blocks in the village is expected to be taken to court for a resolution.
A meeting planned among residents, the miner, Rickey Ramnarine, as well as officials from the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MoIPA) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) was expected to be he held yesterday morning in Batavia to discuss the claims of both parties.
However, according Toshao Oren Williams, though the meeting was scheduled for 10 am, he received a phone call at 8.30 am from a MoIPA official, who informed him that the ministry’s representatives would no longer be attending the meeting.
The reason given was that Ramnarine had sent a lawyer’s letter, which not only indicated his absence from the meeting but also a decision to have the dispute taken to court for a ruling. Despite this, a decision was made to go ahead with the meeting.
Attempts were made to contact Ramnarine for a comment but Stabroek News was told that he was “not around.”
However, much to the surprise of the residents and the village council, the meeting was attended by Ramnarine’s son and two of his workers, who according to the Toshao, related that they were to listen to what was being said.
“Ramnarine Jr. came and he tried to apologise for entering the village without permission but the residents were not having it, so they just stayed and listened,” Williams said.
“We are yet to receive any satisfaction regarding this matter. There was nobody from the Ministry or from GGMC; it’s like everyone just disappeared on us…we are friendly people, we don’t want any trouble, we just want a solution to this problem,” the Toshao added.
Meanwhile, asked about the village’s plans, Williams said he will be traveling to the city today in hopes of once again meeting with the MoIPA and GGMC to clarify the contents of the lawyer’s letter and to determine the way forward.
He also explained that the visit should also better inform the council of their options regarding legal representation since it usually depends on representation provided by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs or the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) and the Indigenous Peoples Commission (IPC). “We will continue to fight this. We will continue to look at our options. We are not going to give up so easy,” the Toshao said.
Last Friday, Stabroek News had reported claims by the Batavia Village Council that the community’s land rights were being threatened by Ramnarine, who allegedly entered the village without permission a week prior and began clearing a section which he later identified as his mining block.
It was noted that though Williams was able to meet with officials from the MoIPA and the GGMC, they were told that Ramnarine had been granted a permit for the two mining blocks in 2002, an estimated 16 years before Batavia received its land title.
Notwithstanding, a letter, signed by the Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock, was sent to Ramnarine, insisting that operations be halted until a meeting could be held to discuss the issue. Subsequent to this, however, this newspaper reported that Ramnarine opted to continue his operation, which prompted scores of residents from Batavia, who journeyed to the location, to shut down the operation themselves.
This would have caused an argument between the two groups, after which a cease order was issued by a GGMC Officer from the Region to halt operations until yesterday’s meeting.
