Broomes meets quarry operators following cease orders

Jun 03, 2018 News

– millions owed in royalties to be clarified with GGMC

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, has met with quarry owners and representatives to sort out issues related to recent cease orders that were issued to owners of a stone quarry in the Mazaruni River and a Bartica sand pit.
Meeting with the officials at the Ministry’s boardroom, Broomes explained that government is doing a comprehensive review of all its natural resources. She said that the visit on Saturday May 19 to the quarries, and follow-up checks with owners, was the first in a series of such activities, according to a government report on the meeting.

Minister Simona Broomes (at head of table) listens attentively to the views of Rajesh Persaud, a representative of Toolsie Persaud Limited, in the presence of GGMC officials.

Minister Broomes pointed out that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) is mapping out its resources and seeking funding to better manage the bodies.
The minister explained that the coalition government inherited a somewhat broken system. She said the meeting was the beginning of a series of inspections and meetings to foster better relations between the miners and GGMC.
“Compliance in any business is not here or there, and so the level of compliance must be up-to-date, safety, royalty, and every aspect of mining,” Minister Broomes emphasised.
On May 19 last, Minister Broomes and a GGMC team conducted impromptu inspections at quarry operations in Region Seven including BK International Quarry, Baracara Quarries Incorporated, Durban Quarries, Toolsie Persaud Limited’s St. Mary Quarry in the Essequibo River and a sand pit in Five Miles, Potaro Road.

Toolsie Persaud Limited’s quarry at St. Mary in the Essequibo River.

Durban Quarry and the sandpit were asked to cease operations until compliance and safety issues were corrected. Durban Quarry representatives noted that one of the big challenges they faced recently was the transportation of equipment to the mining area, and a blast that went wrong.
Vishnu Persaud, a representative of Durban Quarry, highlighted that “the one barge we have is used to do all our to-and-fro business from the quarry. So, we were trying to salvage it. We have now sourced a new one”. He also explained that they conducted a blast recently with some expired explosives.
Both Durban Quarry and Toolsie Persaud Limited’s St Mary’s Quarry are said to owe the GGMC outstanding royalties.
Durban Quarry’s representative agreed to have this rectified. However, Rajesh Persaud, representative of Toolsie Persaud Limited’s St. Mary’s Quarry raised concerns about the manner in which dues are paid. Persaud said for years he has been paying royalties based on the amount of stone sold. GGMC has stated that approximately $4.4Million is owed by the company. Persaud objected to this and said he will visit the office to clear up the issue.
Minister Broomes clarified that the law stipulates that royalties are to be paid on extraction as opposed to what is sold.
St. Mary’s Quarry and BK International Quarry were warned to implement environmentally safe practices when disposing of their waste.
Meanwhile a team from the Bartica NDC and the GGMC will be visiting the sandpit with an engineer to see whether operations can resume.