Latest update February 2nd, 2026 12:59 AM
GGMC admits to not issuing Marvis Halliman mining permit despite tribunal ruling
…says miner operating illegally
(Kaieteur News) – On May 20, 2024 a tribunal chaired by hearing officer Magistrate Allan Wilson ruled that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), “ought to grant and approve the application of Mr Wallace Edgar Daniels dated 7th December 2012.”
GGMC Commissioner, Newell Dennison
This ruling is in relation to a strip of unclaimed land parallel to the Puruni River in the Toroparu Backdam, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), located near property owned by the Alphonso family.
However, instead of granting the permit, GGMC moved to the court seeking judicial review of the tribunal’s decision but was turned down on multiple occasions. To date, the agency has not issued the mining permit, leaving the land at the centre of an ongoing dispute.
In a statement on Tuesday, GGMC denied claims made by gold miner Marvis Halliman, the nephew of Daniels, who has expressed his frustration with GGMC’s refusal to issue the permit for the mining operations even after the tribunal decision and being turned down at the High Court when the commission sought a judicial review.
In its statement, GGMC said that both Halliman and Daniels are operating illegally in the Toroparu area along the banks of the Puruni River, as neither holds any permit, licence, or document issued by GGMC authorizing them to mine or prospect there.
GGMC said that Halliman began “illegal mineral operations” in June 2023 and allegedly facilitated dozens of persons to work unlawfully on State lands. The Commission noted too that its investigations revealed Halliman collected money from several individuals in exchange for access to mine in the area, a claim the Commission said has been supported by statements and receipts from eight miners.
GGMC also noted that no gazetted notice of intention was ever published for the grant of the land to Daniels or Halliman, nor was any draft permit ever prepared for issuance. “Assertions in the press by Mr. Halliman that the Commission issued a gazetted notice of intention to grant the property to Mr. Daniels, and that the absence of public objections constitutes validation of such a grant, are entirely false,” GGMC said.
However, documents and court rulings previously seen by this publication tell a more complex story.
During a recent confrontation at the Toroparu site, GGMC officers and police dismantled Halliman’s camp and detained him and two security guards over an allegedly unlicensed firearm, which was later confirmed to be licensed. Halliman broke down in tears at the scene, saying he was “being bullied off the land” that legally belongs to his uncle.
Information from GGMC Tribunal and High Court rulings
In 2012, Daniels discovered a strip of land parallel to the Puruni River that was unclaimed. After discovering the land was available, Daniels applied to GGMC, and at that time there were no legal challenges or objections.
Daniels was later invited to a meeting by GGMC Commissioner Newell Dennison which was attended by Andron Alphonso and his lawyers. The meeting was an attempt to mediate a compromise after Alphonso complained he would have applied had he known the land was available. However, that mediation failed.
According to the document, Andron Alphonso owns river claims filed for in 2009, covering 34 claims along the Puruni River, one mile upstream and 300-feet inland on both sides. Daniels’ application, however, was for the 300-feet north and south of the river, adjacent to the Alphonso property. The document states that Daniels’ actions were neither injurious to Alphonso nor illegal.
Marvis Halliman’s mining camp that was destroyed by GGMC.
However, in February 2016, Alphonso objected to Daniels being granted Prospecting Permits Medium Scale (PPMS), arguing that his 2009 river claims included the 300 feet inland.
While the dispute continued, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat on May 3, 2023, issued a retroactive order closing the disputed area from December 6, 2012, which is the day before Daniels made his application to GGMC.
A tribunal chaired by Magistrate Wilson heard the matter and in May 2024, ruled in Daniels’ favour. Magistrate Wilson held that under Guyana’s mining regulations, river claims cannot by law include 300-feet inland from the low-water mark, meaning Alphonso’s claims did not cover the disputed strip. Notably, the magistrate also ruled to strike out the minister order.
In 2024, GGMC moved to the High Court seeking a judicial review of the tribunal’s decision. Some of the respondents in the case sought a dismissal through their lawyers. The respondents argued that the case was improperly filed and lacked grounds. The court dismissed GGMC’s case, ruling that when Daniels applied in 2012, there were no objections, and that Alphonso only showed interest in the land after the application was filed. It was noted too that even after showing interest in the land, Alphonso never made a formal application for the same plot of land.
In December 2024, GGMC again moved to the High Court, this time seeking to quash Magistrate Wilson’s decision, arguing the permits granted overlapped with land already reserved by the 2023 ministerial order. GGMC contended that the order approved prospecting permits for Daniels in an area that had already been reserved and closed to mining. The Commission argued too that the tribunal decision was unlawful, unreasonable, unfair, and an abuse of power. GGMC asked the court to quash this decision unless Magistrate Wilson can show cause. However, the court dismissed that challenge as well.
Halliman told this publication that despite GGMC’s repeated failed legal challenges, the Commission has still not issued the permits.
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Looks like de Fonso fella doing something under de table to make sure GGMC holding out from giving de small miner fella a valid licence that de court say he must get.
GGMC beware…!!