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GGMC investigating illegal shops, landings in gold districts

Feb 20, 2013 News

 

 

Scores of shops believed to have been set up illegally in the mining districts, and especially along the landings, are to be regularized, government said yesterday.
According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, following concerns by various stakeholders of the proliferation of illegal shops and unorganized dwellings which are being used as nesting grounds for crime and illegal activities, it has instructed the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to execute its statutory mandate to ensure compliance with the Mining Laws and Regulations.
“These concerns were raised by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association and Amerindian groups, and have been impacting negatively on the social aspect of community development,” the ministry said.
With an explosion in growth in the goldfields in recent years amidst high prices on the world market, there has also been the negative side of increased reports in crime. These include reports of prostitution, smuggling, robberies and murders.
GGMC has been also battling illegal squatting and other issues regarding the regulations.
According to the Ministry, the GGMC has embarked on an exercise to regularize landings in all mining districts to ensure businesses comply and have the necessary documentation to operate as prescribed in the Mining Act and Regulations of the GGMC.
“Further, an investigation is being undertaken where business permissions were issued for locations that were not gazetted. One such incident has been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, where shop owners are contending that they received the requisite permission from GGMC officers as far back as 2005.”
The Ministry said that upon examination of the business permission presented, officials noted that it should not have been issued in the first instance; since the establishment of shops can only be done in areas gazetted as designated landings, as stipulated in the mining regulations.
“Meanwhile, part of the emphasis for 2013 through the Board of Directors to the GGMC is to intensify compliance, monitoring and enforcement activities in all mining districts.”

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