“It’s a fallacy” – Jagdeo; no quarry licenses, sand permits issued to Chinese nationals

…debunks ‘Chinese takeover’ claims; licenses issued only to Guyanese

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has firmly dismissed claims that Chinese nationals have been granted quarry and sand mining permits in Guyana, calling such allegations “a fallacy” and “political mischief.”
Addressing the issue at his weekly press conference, Jagdeo clarified that all new quarry and sand permits issued between 2020 and 2024 have been granted solely to Guyanese nationals, not Chinese operators.
He said some Guyanese license-holders may contract Chinese companies to assist with operations, but emphasized that the ownership and control of these permits remain entirely local.
“Not a single quarry license or sand permit has been issued to a Chinese national,” Jagdeo stated. “The Chinese may be contracted, but the permits are held by Guyanese.”
Since 2020, the number of operational quarries has increased from 6 to 16, boosting stone production from under 740,000 tonnes annually to over 3.3 million tonnes in 2024.
Similarly, sand production has skyrocketed from less than 700,000 tonnes per year to over 12 million tonnes, with the number of permit holders rising from 18 to 67, including 49 new entrants since 2020.
Jagdeo said this expansion has directly benefited the public, driving down the price of stone from $18,000 per tonne to $8,200, and reducing construction costs across both private and public sectors.
“The beneficiaries are the Guyanese people. The cost of stone has dropped significantly, and that means cheaper housing and infrastructure,” he noted.
Further, Jagdeo also took aim at claims of Chinese dominance in the construction sector, pointing out that none of the 40 plus contractors involved in the $52 billion housing infrastructure program along the East Coast are Chinese. A similar trend, he said, exists at Wales, where over 5,000 lots are under development.
“No Chinese contractors are involved in those massive housing developments,” he said. “We’ve created thousands of jobs for Guyanese contractors, engineers, and truckers.”
He further explained that Chinese companies were awarded a small portion of the East Coast Road and the Heroes Highway projects—less than 10 projects of the total cost after winning internationally funded bids, not through favouritism or exclusive access.
With this in mind, Jagdeo acknowledged frustrations among some local truckers, especially regarding reduced haulage rates due to increased competition. However, he emphasized that this is a natural result of expanded supply and a more competitive market.
“Yes, margins may be tighter now. But if we didn’t grow the sector, there would be no work at all,” he said. “Go back to 2020. Ask the same truckers how many of them owned trucks back then.”
He urged the public not to be “misled by opportunistic politicians” exploiting tensions for votes.
“All this talk of a Chinese takeover is political scapegoating. There are Guyanese running the show, and they are the ones benefiting from this growth,” Jagdeo said.

Chinese involvement must still follow the law
While defending legitimate business partnerships, the Vice President was clear that Chinese nationals and companies must follow Guyana’s laws, including those governing retail, transportation, and permits.
“There must be no special treatment for anyone. If Chinese companies violate regulations, they must face the consequences, just like anyone else,” he stated.
On Tuesday, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill met with dozens of truckers in Linden, Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) urging them to diversify their operations and adapt to market shifts as the sector becomes saturated.
During the engagement, local truckers informed the Minister that hauling rates for stone have dropped from $3,000 per tonne to $1,300, squeezing already slim margins.
They also alleged that truckers are being edged out of the quarry by foreign operators who have preferential access and faster loading times — even when hauling stone on behalf of paying local contractors.
In response, Minister Edghill urged truckers to not be dismayed, but adapt by expanding their operations into other areas such as transporting sand, loam, and other construction materials, particularly for government infrastructure projects.
He noted that while the sector remains competitive, opportunities still exist.
“You are telling me that you feel mistreated, in that the competition really is the owner of the quarry is now owning trucks. And when somebody buys stone from the quarry – more than likely the private sector, because government is not buying stone right now – when the owner of the quarry gets an order for stone, the owner has now engaged their own transportation network to take the stone to where the quarry gets the order from. And you are not getting the volume or the quantity of work that you were getting before”.
“Now, you are mainly fetching stone. I want you to start exploring that with the government contracts that are available, there is need for sand and there is need for loam for the roads that we are building up,” Edghill said.
In a nod to frustrations over perceived favouritism at loading sites, Edghill stressed that fairness must prevail.
On this point, he acknowledged the disparity in the market and confirmed that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) had reached an agreement with the quarry operators to implement a two-line system to ensure fairer access for local truckers.
“As of yesterday afternoon, the GGMC made an arrangement with the Chinese that there will be two lines, so that the discrimination that you’re saying you’re getting in terms of loading will come to an end”.