The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) on Mon-day gave small miners in the Two Point Backdam, Cuyuni three days to remove from the area following complaints of illegal operations as well as squatting on lands owned by other persons.
Stabroek News understands that there have been numerous complaints by claim holders in the Region Seven area that the small miners are occupying their lands without the requisite permission and as such an operation was launched to remove them. The issue has been ongoing for a number of years and on Monday, a team of GGMC Officers and ranks from the Guyana Police Force visited the area.
There they engaged with the small miners and according to information reaching this newspaper, the encounter became hostile resulting in a retreat by the officers.
A source close to the operation informed Stabroek News that the miners became abusive during the encounter.
There are currently many small miners in the areas and they are expanding their settlement.
“They are on state lands and also privately owned lands. That landing ballooned out of nowhere and what they usually do is set up one shop and then another and then very quickly you would see it expanding to a lot more. That is what happened there and they are encroaching on people’s lands.
“We cannot condone the illegality and while we understand that it is sometimes a bread and butter issue, we still have policies and have to follow the laws,” Stabroek News’ source explained.
Following the encounter, videos made their way to social media prompting a statement from the Small Miners Associa-tion Guyana Inc (SMAGI). The SMAGI said that it condemned the move to remove the small miners adding that the action is in contravention of the commitment by President Irfaan Ali to work to regularize the miners.
“…our association has been made aware of a coordinated operation between the GGMC and the GPF to remove small miners who are merely seeking to ply their trade and feed their families. We consider this act [of] aggression and coercion against the small man unwarranted especially without first engaging in dialogue.
“This course of action undertaken by the state contradicts the spirit of the commitment to work to assist small miners promised by His Excellency President Dr Ali, where in several engagements with small miners dating back to June (2022) committed to working to alleviate the plight of small miners. This association, therefore, stands in solidarity with the affected small miners and calls on the President and his office to engage in dialogue and work to tangibly ease the burdens of small miners,” the statement read.
Stabroek News understands that many small miners have been ordered to remove. The expiration of the grace period is today and the GGMC is adamant that the small miners would be removed. The miners, however, are standing their ground and are refusing to move from the area where they have been operating for quite some time.
State lands
During an interview with Stabroek News last night, Chair of the Small Miners Association, David Daniels said that the issue stems from several persons laying claim to the land on which the small miners are operating. He said that they have been in contact with the small miners and a lot of them are reporting that they are operating on state lands.
He said that the issue was raised with President Ali back in June while he was on an outreach in Region Seven. Daniels said that GGMC head Newell Dennison was also at the outreach where the issue was raised.
PLK-11
“Mr Newell Dennision said that there are available lands in the Two Point Backdam. He said that PLK-11 [where the miners are operating] is state land and it is available. So at that meeting, we were told that because it is state lands and all we got to follow the procedures and at that said meeting President Ali asked me how many miners is affected with accessibility to land and if I know the amount I should get up a list of miners and engage him,” Daniels informed.
He said that led him to form the SMAGI and compile a list of all of the miners operating in the Two Point Backdam. He said that the list contained names of miners from several regions across Guyana and it was submitted to President Ali.
“We submitted the list of names to President Ali and we met with him in August and he told us that we have to engage all the relevant stakeholders whether is GGMC, GGDMA, Minister of Natural Resources. So that, when we reach back to him, is that we can ensure that you know all parties can conceivably see how we can collaborate and cooperate for the best interests of small miners,” Daniels said.
He noted that another meeting has not yet been scheduled but letters requesting one were sent to the President.
Daniels said that none of the small miners operating in the Two Point Backdam has legal claims but they are engaging claim holders to sublet lands as well. He added they have met with the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) which signalled its support for the move to have small miners regularized in the area and that was communicated to the GGMC.
“The problem is not that the GGMC or the Guyana Police Force went in on a joint exercise, the problem is the lack of dialogue. They didn’t engage nobody, no miners and didn’t engage the people first. Then they just give the three days to move out or we’ll start break down and move you out forcefully and that is the problem,” he said.
In the interim, the Association is calling on the authorities to engage them in an effort to arrive at an amicable solution.
“I would like to see the agencies engage with the small miners so that we can find a tangible solution on how best we can regulate my miners in the area on the state land. Let us [small miners] regularize it, of course with the guidance of GGMC. We can put system in place to ensure that small miners get access to that lands so that they get to work and abide by the rules and regulation of GGMC with permission to operate.
“I personally know that you know people spend them last [dollar] to go up to the Two Point area just because them hear this lil gold bore and them want to provide for them family… President Ali guided us in ensuring that you know we came up with this list of small miners that are affected, that we form ourselves in group [and] we have created this Small Miners Association of Guyana and you know they should have engaged us,” Daniels lamented.
He said that they will now wait and see what action the GGMC and Police will take and that would also determine the Association’s course of action as well.
