Orders to cease work and remove were issued on Wednesday to operators of an illegal dredge at 10 Miles, Bartica.
According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, the orders were issued after a visit to the work site by Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes and a team from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC).
GGMC acting Manager of Mines, Krishna Ramdass was reported as saying that a complaint, received on January 7th, 2019, alleged that mining operations were being done within the boundaries of Bartica’s township.
He said the allegations were promptly investigated and it was found that “the dredge was operating on a prospecting permit.” The owner of that permit was recorded as Samantha Charles.
Cease work and removal orders were resultantly issued.
The DPI report further noted that while the operators, Mohamed and Bobby Rasoul, have been complying with the orders, charges are expected to be laid.
“It was a breach of the Mining Act as mining cannot be undertaken on a prospecting license,” Ramdass explained.
Broomes, meanwhile, assured that measures would be put in place to avoid similar issues in the future. She said she will be engaging Minister of Natural Resources on the matter. “It is something we will look at with all the new towns and I will recommend that where we have prospecting licenses fall within boundaries of these new towns that we seek not to move them into conversion of mining because you will get some problems” she stated.
