Gold miners own 32 claims at Issano backdam – High Court

Mar 05, 2025 News

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…orders GGMC, Natural Resources Minister to process licences

Kaieteur News- Chief Justice Roxane George on Tuesday made several orders against the GGMC and Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat setting aside their directives against two small miners for 32 gold claims. The Chief Justice ruled that the miners Milton Brandford and Ayudhia Narine were the lawful owners of 32 gold claims at 14 Mile Issano, Karouni.

She quashed an ‘order to remove from a claim area’ which was made by the GGMC against Brandford and Narine on July 19, 2023. At the time, the GGMC had ordered the miners to remove from the claim area on the ground that they had no permission when, in fact, the miners had owned the rights over the area in question.

The Chief Judge also quashed ministerial order 56 of 2023 issued by Minister Bharrat to shut down the mining of the 32 claims by Brandford and Narine. She remarked that “this order cannot be retroactive to affect the established rights in the claims of the miners”.

On August 8, 2023, Minister Bharrat had ordered a cessation of all mining activities in the claims’ areas owned by the miners, save and except mining activities of State bodies and corporations as directed by him.

This triggered a lawsuit filed by the miners against Minister Bharrat and the GGMC in November 2023. In their claim before the court, the miners alleged that the Minister and GGMC were trying to shut down their gold mining operations and distribute the same lands by lotteries to other miners.

It was revealed in Court documents that shortly after Minister Bharrat issued order 56 shutting down the claims held by Brandford and Narine.

And although the GGMC never responded to the letter from the miners’ attorney, Mr. Siand Dhurjon, the GGMC had quickly issued a press release claiming that the lands were shut down because there was a need to “curb illegal activities at the site and maintain its integrity”.

During the hearings, the Court was told that several lotteries between September and December 2023 where the lands were given out to other individuals.

Brandford and Narine were reportedly never invited to the lotteries held by the Minister and GGMC and the lotteries were never publicized in the newspapers or the Official Gazette.

But during the very time, the GGMC and Minister Bharat were reportedly engaged in giving out the lands to other parties. In Court, on behalf of Minister Bharrat, the lotteries were called ‘a land allocation exercise’ and it was admitted that at least six lotteries were held where over 80 of 100 portions of the shutdown lands were given out to various private individuals.

The Minister admitted that invitations were sent to ‘small scale miners’, certain mining associations, and individuals ‘who were removed from the area due to unlawful occupation’. However, no invitation was received by either Brandford or Narine.

This was despite the fact that the GGMC and the Minister were well aware of Narine and Brandford’s interests in the lands due to several meetings.

The miners alleged that shortly after, officers of the GGMC destroyed the camps and seized Brandford and Narine’s equipment on September 2, 2023. The GGMC and Minister have denied such destruction and seizure to the Court.

On Tuesday, the Chief Justice ruled and issued orders of declaration that Branford and Narine are the lawful owners of the 32 gold and precious mineral claims and that they have the right to work the land under the 32 claims in accordance with regulation 4(6) of the Mining Regulations.

The Chief Justice ordered the GGMC and the Minister to take all steps necessary to favourably process the applications for 32 claims licences made by Brandford and Narine.

The Chief Justice granted an injunction against Minister Bharrat and the GGMC from awarding any claim licences in the areas to anyone except Narine and Brandford.

The Chief Justice also ordered injunctions against the GGMC and Minister Bharrat to prevent them from damaging, moving or otherwise interfering with the operations of Brandford and Narine on the claims.

Brandford and Narine were represented by attorneys-at-law Siand Dhurjon and Damien Da Silva whilst Minister Bharrat was represented by the Attorney General’s Chambers led by Ms. Prithima Kissoon. The GGMC was represented by Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, SC.

(Gold miners own 32 claims at Issano backdam – High Court)

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• Chief Justice Roxane George, GGMC, gold, High Court, lotteries, Miners, Natural Resources Minister

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