Gold dealer money laundering probe widens…GGMC declines to defend allegations of deficiencies

Apr 29, 2017 News

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has declined to represent and defend the

Acting Commissioner of GGMC, Newell Dennison

integrity and efficiency of the agency. The Commission has been implicated in the investigations into the affairs of embattled gold dealer Saddiqi ‘Bobby’ Rasul.
The Special Organized Crime Unit is investigating whether there was collusion between the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) and Rasul. Earlier this week, General Manager of the GGB, Lisaveta Ramotar made a public statement to the effect that her agency is not to be blamed for failing to flag some of the wrongs allegedly committed by Rasul. She effectively laid the blame at the feet of GGMC.
Ramotar said her duties at the Guyana Gold Board included implementing Board policy including strategic and operational planning, coordinating activities for implementation, financial management: planning, budgeting and auditing, resource allocation, human resources management, information management, administration and external relations. She said that she has no regulatory duties.
Ramotar highlighted the issue raised that Rasul sold gold to the GGB several times per day using his mining company indicating a wash down several times per day.
Ramotar said, “I wish to assert strongly that I am absolutely innocent of any wrongdoing.”
She added that the GGB is required to buy all gold presented to the organization and noted that her organization’s mandate is not to verify production.
“The organization does not verify production. The current process at the Guyana Gold Board is such that those in possession of gold can either have a production sheet which would be a sheet out of the production books issued by GGMC or they may be given a permission slip, which is issued by the Guyana Gold Board. The Finance Department of the Guyana Gold Board collects both production sheets and permission slips when the department makes payments to those selling gold. The production sheets and permission slips are uplifted daily by the GGMC, the body that regulates mining in Guyana.”
Yesterday, Kaieteur News contacted acting Commissioner Newell Dennison for a comment on the matter. He was asked if he would be willing to accept blame. He said, “No comment.” He was then asked if the system outlined by Ramotar is what really happens, he again responded, “No comment.” He was subsequently asked if he now sees the need to strengthen polices at his Commission, and Dennison once again said, “No comment.” The Commissioner said that he does not want to get into “the rabble-rousing.”

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