There is a feeding frenzy of open corruption taking place at GGMC

Jul 15, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
Allow me a small space to comment on an article published in Kaieteur News, Tue., July 3, 2018, p. 13, “Sweeping changes expected at GGMC.” How ironic it is to continue reading comical nonsense of Minister Raphael Trotman, who is absolutely unfit to manage, yet alone be Minister of Natural Resources. Trotman should be forced to resign but the people of this country are like sheep following each other, too afraid of speaking up, in fear of both governmental and private retaliation, rather than challenging the arrogance and corruption.
As a miner I am speaking from first-hand experience. I know the workings of GGMC and how the insiders operate. As Trotman indicated there will be major changes, “Not about personnel, but policies,” is an oxymoron at best. GGMC is a dysfunctional and cumbersome cesspool already overregulated where policy changes are not warranted, rather, changes in personnel at all levels, for the entity to partially function.
Mr. Editor, we don’t need change in policies, we need existing policy enforcement, and changes in personnel. Leadership is lacking, inefficiency and ineffectiveness, betrayal of the public, and paralysis of policies are the norms at GGMC.
There is a feeding frenzy of open corruption taking place at GGMC, and it is doubtful any lawmakers ever took time to seek a review of the assets of some senior personnel.
The discovery would be startling: houses, businesses, vehicles, jewellery, and other assets. These individuals are leeches shaking down miners, confiscate gold and diamonds, collect fuel and groceries, and so forth. Then if miners refused the officers are quick to issue cease work orders through fabricated violations, or even call their superiors to assist the corruption. It happened to me! Many times I have been told by different mines officers how one official is their friend and I better be careful, which indeed proved adverse to me, when I refused to pay off a few of GGMC personnel. So clearly personnel and policies are in conflict at GGMC.
Further, there is a group of personnel at GGMC who would illegally close-off land areas, then negotiate with middle men to set-up land purchases, as I have been approached several times by these thieves. Ministers Trotman and Brooms, Commissioner Dennison and other senior personnel are clueless as to their own surroundings, let alone managing the nation’s natural resources.
Leadership and experience go hand-in-hand, and Trotman is lacking both, whereby GGMC is a breeding ground for cronyism through massive internal and external corruption from the lowest officer to the highest office and too many policies. Change personnel, nor policies.
L. Prashad

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