Moblissa sand mining licence issued without public consultation - Broomes

Moblissa sand mining licence issued without public consultation – Broomes

Feb 17, 2018 News

Chair of Moblissa CDC, Arthur Reynolds

Residents of Moblissa and AG Mining will meet with Region 10 officials to determine how the loam mining contractor can contribute to the community’s development.
This decision was made Thursday following intervention by Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes.
The Minister met with concerned residents, company representatives and regional officials in the Linden/Soesdyke community.
AG Mining began operating a loam pit in Moblissa six months ago, raising concerns by residents about how the operation will benefit the community.
Minister Broomes apologised to the residents, noting there was a failure on the part of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to properly inform the community that a licence was issued for loam mining in their community.
“Consultation must be done. It is not only what is written in the book. You have persons living in the community and once strange people are coming into your community you ought to know. You should be informed, and I’m saying the way we did business then, we would not do it now,” Minister Broomes assured the residents.
Chair of the Moblissa Community Development Council (CDC) group, Arthur Reynolds, said the district would like to see financial benefits towards the community’s development from the operation.

Minister Simona Broomes addressing residents

Residents are also asking for members of the community to be employed by the company, to monitor trucks entering and leaving the community and support in infrastructural development.
“The company needs to support the Community Development Council in fixing the road from the junction to the creek…the contractor must replant the area in keeping with the government’s view of the green economy,” Reynolds said.
As part of its licencing agreement with the GGMC, AG Mining has to reclaim mined-out lands. Minister Broomes said the community can work along with the company on the types of plants that can be planted following the reclamation.
AG Mining readily agreed to meet and work out the terms of its contribution to the community’s development. The community and company representatives will meet in the Chairman’s office next Monday in the region.

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