Latest update November 14th, 2024 12:57 AM
New River Triangle Debacle…Bharrat Jagdeo pressed for mining in disputed area
…Cabinet members opposed but then President held strong position
It was former President Bharrat Jagdeo who began the pursuit to explore and mine in the disputed New River Triangle Area, during his last term in Office, despite the fact that several of the members of the Cabinet at the time did not agree with the move.
This confirmation came yesterday from Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, who was at the time being questioned by reporters following his post Cabinet press engagement at Office of the President.
Former President
Bharrat Jagdeo
Dr Luncheon was asked whether the government policy on mining in that area changed.
“I am uncertain as to if there was a specific policy,” but it was the 2006 term of former president Jagdeo, when he brought up the issue of mining and exploring in that location, Dr. Luncheon said.
Dr. Luncheon added, “At that time, the President had a strong position that was not consistent with others in the Cabinet; but we are an advisory body as you would recall and therefore the president’s view held sway. That was 2006 to 2011.”
Asked if the sitting President, Donald Ramotar, is pursuing the lines of Jagdeo, Dr. Luncheon responded, “I am not saying anything further…2006 to 2011.”
Dr. Luncheon was asked about the Government not heeding the warning of former Army Chief, Joe Singh when the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) had objected to similar moves by the administration under the late President, Cheddi Jagan.
He responded, “Policy making in these areas isn’t dependent on objections and refusals by the military…that is alien to our understanding of civilian, military relationship.”
Dr. Luncheon also holds the position of Secretary to the Defence Board and said that under the three successive army chiefs, he is not aware of any objections to mining on Muri Mountain.
He said that in the “civilian/military dispensation that we embrace, the military has an obligation to respond with respect to civilian order.”
Dr. Luncheon was speaking to the civilian executive that heads up the administration.
According to Dr Luncheon, “If the Commander-in-Chief were to announce to the military, announce to this nation that this is the government policy, under our understanding of civilian, military, relationship, (is that) the matter is done.”
Dr. Luncheon told media operatives that “the notion that this civilian military relationship preserves some right, some influence on the actions and the policy decisions made by the civilian government needs to be examined carefully.”
According to the Head of State, “This ain’t about going to war…this is not making decisions about military science and military disciplines, this is civilian authority on an issue that deals in this case here with mining.”
Robert Persaud
The government spokesman told the media, “One must be very careful lest you appear to be suggesting that this civilian military relationship is so broad, is so expansive, is so amorphous that indeed their exists privileged space for the civilian administration to have to take into consideration in these matters positions by its military.”
Ever since the disclosure that Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Robert Persaud, had given permission to Muri Brasil Ventures Inc to conduct Geological and Geophysical Surveys in the disputed New River Triangle location it has attracted significant criticism.
The company was granted the Permission a few months after it was registered, to survey a whopping 2.2 million acres of land.
Inherent in the permission given the company was also given the right to pursue 18 prospecting licence to mine for gold, diamonds and several other rare earth elements.
The company had sought to defend this by saying, “These kinds of exploration activities cost millions of US dollars, which can only be sourced as exploration investments from outside of Guyana…No such investments would be available if the investor is given no assurance that he will be granted prospecting licences.”
The Company argued that it is the investor taking a risk and if he/she is not assured of a potential return, investment capital will dry up and so will Guyana’s mining industry.
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