No activity in the LCDS is aimed at disrupting the mining sector

Feb 03, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,

Permit me to highlight some glaring inaccuracies and falsehoods made by the AFC Leader in the print media including the Kaieteur News (January 31, 2010) captioned, “Guyana cannot support any programme in the LCDS which disrupts the mining industry”.

The caption of this article is itself misleading since no activity in the LCDS, much less any programme, is aimed at disrupting the mining sector.

It is unclear what Mr. Trotman hopes to achieve by peddling this misinformation when the LCDS document clearly states that mining will not be reduced or stopped.

The “perception within the minds of operators and workers within the mining industry that they have been placed squarely in the sights of the LCDS gun” is being actively spread through the misinformation of persons who should know better such as Mr. Trotman. Such practice is to the detriment of the visionary development model encapsulated by the LCDS and supported by the international community.

Again, I state that the LCDS will not see a cessation of mining; it will only see more responsible mining that is compliant with the environmental regulations of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). I must emphasise also that this compliance with GGMC standards and the need for harmonization with forestry had its origins long before the LCDS or REDD+.

Mr. Trotman repeats what the Government has been saying all along – the mining industry is a significant contributor to the Guyanese economy and simply cannot be stopped. Government is acutely aware of the “economic and social dislocation and upheaval” that will occur if there is any attempt to stop mining. However, the industry must comply with the requirements of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and work in tandem with surface right holders and to do reclamation and rehabilitation works.

The Government is not looking at the matter as is postulated “through a tree-vs- minerals zero sum prison”.

Had Mr. Trotman done his research he would have noted that the National Forest Policy of 1997 speaks about the multiple use function of the forest, and the need for all forest uses to be as compatible as possible. This is what the Government is doing – updating and harmonizing land use legislation and guidelines so that miners, foresters and other land users can co-exist in amicable, responsible manner in the same space.

Thankfully he agrees with the Government when he makes the points that:

(1) Amerindians are the first forest dwellers and must be consulted and their way of life maintained.

(2) There is the need to understand and apply sustainable mining practices.

Mr. Trotman also makes the point that we need to quantify explicitly the damage to our forest (or lack of).

Had Mr. Trotman been following the activities under REDD+ and the LCDS he would have known that Guyana is well advanced in implementation of these initiatives.

The use of Remote Sensing is being used to identify and quantify areas affected by drivers of deforestation; work has also started of developing an internationally accepted Monitoring, Reporting and Verification System. The proposal to establish a Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment does not take into account that we have existing mechanisms which promote interagency cooperation, harmonization and information sharing. Two of these mechanisms are the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Natural Resources; and the Natural Resources and Environment Advisory Committee. These are further supported by the National Climate Committee and the National Biodiversity Committee.

The discussion on the six-month notification will in no way stop or delay existing or future operations. Rather, it will enable the forester to know the proposed sequencing of mining and so get an opportunity to extract merchantable trees prior to mining. In fact small miners could be exempted from this requirement. This is a win-win situation because I emphasise again, mining will not be stopped or delayed.

I close by encouraging Mr. Trotman and others to learn more about the issue before making public pronouncements which are inaccurate and filled with speculation.

Robert M. Persaud

Minister of Agriculture

Latest News

No activity in the LCDS is aimed at disrupting the mining sector

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Savory, Persaud show class ahead of Regional C/ships with fifties

Spectators experience and playing standards high...

Archery Guyana’s 2024 Senior Barebow Open...

Body of Chinese national who fell from new...

Athanaze posts 98 as Windies start positively in...

Youngsters seize opportunity, rubbing shoulders...

Features/Columnists

Jagdeo’s press conferences are about grievance rather than governance

Clarifying misconceptions about the Panama Canal

From ethnicity to Exxon, race to renegotiation

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

No activity in the LCDS is aimed at disrupting the mining sector

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]