Miners blame Gold Board for lawless sector … cite PPP’s closure of outlying offices
THE Guyana Gold Board should be held accountable for some of the illicit activities in the mining sector. This is the view of outgoing president of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) Patrick Harding.
“Hold the Gold Board accountable for some of these activities,” he said, noting that since the closure of the Bartica, Port Kaituma and Charity Gold Board offices, miners have been forced to sell their gold elsewhere.
“Unfortunately,” he said, “the closing of offices in Bartica, Port Kaituma and Charity means the buyer now has nowhere to sell his gold other than the licensed buyer. What you see happening now is the industry is getting blamed.” The offices were inexplicably closed by the former PPP/C administration. Harding noted that the opening of the Bartica Gold Board Office in 2013 saw approximately 40% of gold being sold there. “When you close the Gold Board there, where is that gold going now?” he asked. But while some have called for the disbandment of the Guyana Gold Board, Harding believes that it shouldn’t be, as it still serves a purpose. “We should keep the Gold Board, at least for the time…,” he stated.
NO SMUGGLING
He is of the view, however, that small and medium-scale miners are not involved in the smuggling of gold, since they do not have the capacity to do so, much less in large quantities. “We (GDMA) are not involved in that,” he said, adding:
“The Association insists that our members sell gold to the Gold Board and demand a receipt; we are required to pay our 5% royalty up-front, and 2% tax as part of the mandate. So the average miner does not smuggle gold.”
Obviously upset at the mere thought of it, he said passionately, “How can we smuggle gold? In order to smuggle gold, you have to hoard gold…we are not involved in that.”
Over the past few months, billions of dollars worth of gold have been smuggled to North America and Europe, but the GGDMA says it does not condone, support or encourage smuggling in any form or fashion. “Smuggling does not benefit Guyana, and only serves to enrich a few greedy individuals. Additionally, it opens up several avenues for additional illegal activities,” the Association said in a statement.
The GGDMA believes that legitimate miners “are in the business of mining, and work hard to ensure that our practices are free from hassles, and are compliant with the law.”
ELECT GGMC BOARD
Harding has also called on the current administration to appoint a board of directors to manage the affairs of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and by extension the mining industry.
“We don’t have a board of directors,” he said. “The commissioner is limited in what he can do, so their committees cannot function…
“What is happening? Who is running the mining industry? We have a minister; is he running the mining industry? I hope not!
“We are calling on the minister responsible for mining to elect the chairman and board…we submitted the names of Terence Adams (newly elected GGDMA president) and Anthony Shields as our new members for the board and we hope that is done earliest.”
Harding hopes that miners are not forced to picket the subject ministry so as to receive the required attention necessary for the industry to go forward.
