Omai ‘Bone Yard’ miners relocated

Jan 30, 2012 News

– only nine out of 48 apply for permits

Miners who were given up to December 31 to vacate the Omai ‘Bone Yard’ have all complied with the order from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.
This is according to Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Robert Persaud. This publication was told that none of the miners made efforts to return to the location. According to Minister Persaud the miners were given blocks at Kaburi. However, only nine of the 48 miners applied for mining permits. There are also reports that some of the miners have relocated to the Frenchman’s Creek area.
During last December, GGMC had stated that they will not be extending the deadline for the miners to remove from Omai since the concession had been sold to a private investor.
The small-scale miners were informed by the commission almost a year ago that they have to relocate, but made several petitions to the then President, Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who extended their time at the site.
However, following protests by the miners in front of GGMC’s Brickdam office, acting Commissioner Karen Livan hosted a press briefing where she declared that there will be no more extensions. She told the media that some 12 months ago it was discovered that a group of miners was illegally occupying and mining the Omai property, in an area called the ‘Bone Yard’. She said the miners were forced to stop their illegal operations, but they sought permission to continue and this was granted.
“They then formed themselves into the ‘Kumaka Syndicate’ consisting of 24 persons and approached the then Commissioner William Woolford, seeking permission to mine the said area. They were informed that the area is closed and that efforts will be made to find them an alternative area; a geologist was sent immediately to the nearby area of North Kumaka to identify suitable ground, but the Kumaka Syndicate did not consider this to be of interest to them.”
Livan added that Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, on compassionate grounds, allowed the 24 miners to mine for a three-month period ending August 13, 2011.
“Meanwhile, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission prepared (by cutting boundary lines and numbering the plots) twenty four parcels of mining lands in the Kaburi area and allocated these by lottery to the original 24 miners. A geologist took some members of the syndicate to visit and test the area. All 24 miners participated in this exercise,” she told the media.
Once again, the miners approached Prime Minister Hinds in early September and obtained another extension, which expired on October 31. Towards the end of September, there was some protest action by an additional group of miners who sought to work at Omai.
“Honourable Minister Benn visited the site resulting in an additional eight operations being authorised and 24 more blocks being made available at Kaburi. Once again, GGMC undertook the boundary marking and line cutting at Kaburi at a total cost of over three million dollars.”
Livan added that a third application was made in November to Prime Minister Hinds for a further extension of the time to mine and this was granted until December 31.

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Omai ‘Bone Yard’ miners relocated

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