No Amerindian lands part of mining lottery - GGMC

No Amerindian lands part of mining lottery – GGMC

Apr 26, 2013 News

As Guyana readies for a much anticipated government lottery that will open up new lands for mining, the administration yesterday assured that no areas under the control of Amerindians are to be part of the exercises.
According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, all mining lands identified for the lottery within Region Nine are under the management of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and are not within titled lands or within proposed extension to titled lands.

A map highlighting a portion of southern Guyana showing locations of lottery blocks.

Following a standoff between illegal miners at Marudi Mountains few weeks ago, government had announced plans to hold the lottery.
During the incident at Marudi Mountains, Region Nine, scores of miners were evicted by police and officials of the GGMC. The evictions gained even more notoriety after a woman and her son were allegedly beaten severely by a police rank with a whip. The incident was captured on video and uploaded on YouTube, drawing widespread condemnation. The policeman has since been charged.
The Ministry has promised to make more mining lands available after miners claimed that they were forced into being illegal because of no lands. The lotteries will be held today in the mining districts across the country.
“Further, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission notes the efforts by a few individuals, who themselves were involved in illegal mining, to spread misinformation and misrepresent the efforts by the GGMC to regulate the mining sector and to provide more mining lands for legitimate miners.”
There has been a rush for lands as demand grew in recent years for gold and traders banked on the precious metal as the dollar fell. There was a significant decline in gold prices this month.