GGDMA tells miners to increase declarations as country pushes to meet 2025 gold targets

The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) has issued a renewed call for miners to ramp up their gold declarations as the country works to meet its 2025 national production targets. In a statement released on Friday, the Association emphasised that the strength and sustainability of the mining sector rest on full compliance, transparent transactions, and a firm refusal to support illegal trading channels.
According to the GGDMA, miners must ensure that all gold is sold solely to the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) or to authorised buyers approved by the relevant authorities. These authorised buyers include dealers licensed by the GGB and licensed traders sanctioned by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).
The Association warned that selling to unregulated purchasers, including “roving traders” and those operating at illegal landings, continues to fuel gold smuggling networks that deprive the country of significant tax and royalty revenues and often serve as gateways to other criminal activities.
The GGDMA further urged miners to safeguard their own interests by maintaining proper records of every transaction. It said miners should demand official documentation whenever selling gold, request periodic statements from their licensed dealers, and take those statements to the Gold Board to verify that the declarations recorded by buyers accurately match the Board’s records. The Association stressed that this verification process is crucial to ensuring that miners’ production is properly accounted for and that taxes are correctly paid to the State.
In its statement, the GGDMA also reminded miners that it is illegal to pay workers with gold, cautioning against what is commonly known in the sector as the “Blai box”, where gold is distributed informally as payment. The Association reiterated that gold can only be used for transactions with authorised dealers and the Guyana Gold Board.
Calling on legitimate operators to distance themselves from “rogue elements”, the Association said miners must not allow themselves to be associated with individuals who masquerade as small miners while engaging in illegal mining and smuggling. It said such practices “have no place in Guyana” and undermine both the sector and national development.
The GGDMA noted that the current administration has reinstated several incentives that support the mining industry and said it is therefore imperative that miners reciprocate by ensuring full and honest declarations. The Association reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the government’s efforts to expand legal production, improve compliance, and crack down on illegal operations within the sector.
According to the GGDMA, decisive action is necessary to eliminate illegal mining activities and the proliferation of unauthorised shops, which it said often contribute to a chain of other illicit practices. The Association pledged to continue working with the relevant authorities to strengthen oversight, increase gold declarations, and help Guyana meet its national targets for 2025.