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Holder of Tassawini gold field yet to object to Canadian takeover of titled Indigenous lands – GGMC
By Shervin Belgrave
Kaieteur News – Holder of the Tassawini goldfield, Mr. M.V is yet to object to the takeover of the lands by a Canadian company, officials with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) told Kaieteur News last Sunday.
Aerial photographs of Chinese Landing and the Tassawini goldfield posted on the Canadian Company’s website.
Deputy Commissioner of GGMC, Jimmy Reece
The goldfield is located on the titled lands of the Carib Indigenous people of Chinese Landing, Barama River, Region One. It has been the center of dispute between the Amerindian people and Mr. M.V for the last two decades. However, in April, a Canadian firm, Alerio Gold Corp claimed one hundred percent ownership of the land.
According to that company’s website, it is in possession of four medium-scale mining permits for the lands that span over 3000 acres.
Alerio Gold said that the mining licences for the property were “renewed in June 2021 for five years.” The renewal was reportedly made in the name of Mr. Chatradharee Mohan, owner of Goldeneye Capital- the local company that allegedly sold the property to Alerio Gold.
Concerned that Mr. M.V might have sold the disputed property to a large-scale Canadian mining firm, the Chinese Landing Toshao, Orin Fernandes raised the issue with government officials on Sunday during a fact-finding mission to the community. The government lead team visited Chinese Landing to investigate allegations of human rights abuses against the indigenous people by Mr. M.V. However, Jimmy Reece, Deputy Commissioner of GGMC, who travelled to the community as part of the fact-finding mission, told Toshao Fernandes that while GGMC noted the concerns raised, there is no evidence to suggest that Mr. M.V has sold the concession.
Information about the Tassawini project on Alerio Gold’s website
Toshao of Chinese Landing, Orin Fernandes
“As far as our records are concerned Vieira (M.V) is still the legal holder of the property…No request for a transfer has been made to us,” Reece said.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Kaieteur News enquired whether Mr. M.V made any objections to the allegations. The GGMC official responded in the negative.
Kaieteur News learnt that due to Mr. M.V’s silence, a decision was taken to write him about the allegations. It is unclear whether he was indeed written to. Further, it was disclosed that the Canadian company has claimed ownership of other mining blocks in Guyana. One of those blocks is the Puruni Goldfield. According to GGMC, the legal holder of that property had contacted the Commission objecting to the Company’s claim of his land.
The owner, Nelson Alphonso had even written a letter to the media stating that he never gave up the rights to his land and will be taking legal action against Alerio Gold for falsely claiming it.
As it relates to the Tassawini gold field, Kaieteur News received information that an individual possibly linked to the Canadian company, had approached the Chinese Landing Village Council seeking permission to mine the lands but was denied. Notwithstanding that denial, the representative of the company was reportedly seen flying over the property with a helicopter taking aerial photographs of the mining lands. The photographs were subsequently posted on the company’s website to boast of ‘gold fever’ in Guyana.
Additionally, Alerio Gold stated that the government of Guyana is supportive to foreign investors and has favourable mining laws for business.
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