GDF dispatches team to investigate ganja-smoking soldiers at Cuyuni

The Guyana Defence Force is in the process of dispatching an investigative team, headed by a Lieutenant Colonel and Guyana Police Force ranks to the Cuyuni district to investigate allegations that some rogue soldiers raided the mining operations there and relieved miners of various amounts of raw gold.

Chief of Staff Commodore Gary Best

The allegations were carried in an article in the Monday edition of Kaieteur News in which a local miner claimed that five soldiers from the GDF base at Eteringbang carried out the act.

The GDF in a press release yesterday stated that it “acknowledges the report in the Kaieteur News dated Monday January 28, 2013. The COS has already started to speak to miners in the area and will dispatch an investigative team headed by a Lieutenant Colonel and Guyana Police Force ranks immediately to the area.”

According to the local miner, on Friday last, the ranks landed at the Julian Ross Landing, Devils’ Hole, Cuyuni and appeared to have one purpose in their minds-—banditry.

“They did not come with any police, no Immigration, no GGMC personnel,” the miner told Kaieteur News.

He said that upon arrival at the landing, the soldiers confronted some small time drug pushers, seizing their drugs, which they consumed in the full view of the public.

This high seemed to spur the soldiers on to greater heights, for they began harassing persons including women, who voiced their objection to their actions.

The miner related that the soldiers became even more determined to carry out their mission, and they managed to force the owner of an all-terrain vehicle to transport them to an area where several Brazilian mining operations are taking place.

There they allegedly relieved several camps of raw gold before making their way back to their camp.

The local miner yesterday informed this newspaper that he did make contact with Commodore Gary Best and he was assured that no effort would be spared to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The GDF in its statement is calling on the mining community to cooperate with its investigators so that it can get to the bottom of the allegations.
“The GDF wishes to categorically state that any GDF ranks found culpable of this dastardly act will face the full brunt of Court Martial Proceedings or the Civil Law. Further, the Guyana Defence Force intends to ask for the maximum penalty for anyone found guilty.”

The GDF is assuring miners of all nationalities that soldiers are not authorized to conduct any mining operations except with the permission of the Chief Mining Officer.

However, the GDF said that no such mining operations are currently authorized.

“In this regard the mining community is advised that the Force will not tolerate its ranks committing offences and wishes to assure all miners that there must be no fear of recrimination by anyone in the Force.  Any suggestion of recrimination by any serving rank must also be reported and those involved will also face the full brunt of the law.

“ This is a very serious matter and it will have the full rigor of our investigations,” the army statement said, adding that the GDF is committed to making the mining community a safe zone so our citizens and international investors can ply their trade peacefully.”