GGMC acting land manager under fire for “conflict of interest”

The acting Manager of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has been criticised for creating a “conflict of interest” in the Land Management Division of the organisation.
The division’s role includes acceptance, processing and granting of licences and permits for mineral properties; processing and endorsing of remission of taxes for mining equipment; process, and recommend for approval, all environmental and other related bonds; control and manage GGMC’s data base and GIS information, the administration of lotteries and auction; cartographic services, and processing verification of small claims.
Guyana Times was reliable informed that a report has shown that the acting senior official released into her husband’s possession forty-seven mineral properties in February 2015. According to the source, when taking into consideration the responsibilities of the manager and the amount of properties involved, it puts the other applicants at potential disadvantage if disputes, which are frequent in the sector, occur.
Further, the manager has access to the information for all categories of mineral properties, and this could be used to influence the selection of mineral properties during auctions, it was revealed. The source said the potential for insider trading, which is an “ever occurring issue,” is also very possible.
“There are other potential issues that are too numerous to mention”, the source said.
“The removal of the previous manager is well understood. However, for the sake of transparency, GGMC should find a neutrally competent person without any ties to the mining sector to management this important section. The mining sector needs critical support in terms of mining properties, not potential conflicts. Too much is at stake here”, the source told Guyana Times.