Dear Editor,
Prior to getting to the point of this letter, we wish you and all our readers safety during this global pandemic. The purpose of this letter is to express our will as Guyanese people, specifically those resident in Mahdia and the mining districts of Guyana.
It is publicly known that while there exists hundreds of private mining firms in Guyana, only two public mining companies operate within the six mining districts; one of which Russian nationals control 90 per cent of the shares while the state controls 10 per cent, and the other is controlled by Chinese nationals and the state in a ratio of 70% to 30% respectively. It must be noted that the operations of these companies would cease now and again due to administrative issues between the individual parties of these companies, the most recent of which we saw the Russians requesting financial assistance to restart operations if the three hundred-plus Guyanese nationals who were previously laid off were to be rehired.
Against this backdrop and the remarks of Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, the Vice-President on an interview broadcast to Mahdia and its environs through Radio Mahdia 95.1, where he stated that any Guyanese, whether resident or foreign, with ideas which will create jobs and wealth for their country and themselves, will be welcomed by the administration, the following proposal is made.
Given the working knowledge possessed by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) about our resources, the administrative and organising capacity of the relevant government agencies with the support of the Head of State and the National Assembly, there should be established a national mining company with branches in each district based on the individual resources e.g. gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese etc. In order for these operations to progress, job creation is necessary (miners, cooks, technicians, security personnel, drivers, boat operators, heavy-duty machine operators, relevant goods services, etc. will all be required). With such implementations we can see miners and all the other classes of staff becoming entitled to pension and other benefits similar to that of existing public servants.
With a considerable number of Guyanese people already occupied with mining, limited training will be required but eventually we will have to be more detailed as other folks seeing the profitability of the company, will join it. As it relates to restoration and reclamation of mining lands with due consideration to our forest wealth, environmental training and operations would be required also.
Even as this letter is being penned, there are several ongoing issues in the mining districts where Guyanese folks happen to be feuding with each other over rights to operate mining lands, for example, in the Amerindian Village of Campbelltown/Princeville close to the area known as S-Bend in Region Eight. And in some cases, the land is under cease orders because of the number of claimants, for example, Tiger Creek in Region Eight.
We have the collective capacity as a country to sort out several issues simultaneously and we therefore wish that our honourable leaders kindly consider this plan on every level possible and consult with those they represent for their contribution. This plan is similar to the one pitched to the previous administration during an exercise in which the ministers met with the people, and it was described in the words of the previous Minister of Natural Resources as a “good idea”, but it is yet to be manifested. Hopefully you, our current administration, can take up this challenge. With all the wealth Guyana has, how can she still be a third world country? The foreign investors are teaching us a lot as they come in and invest but we must convert teachings to practice at some point in time.
Yours faithfully,
Mathilda Leonce and fellow
residents of Mahdia, Region #8.
