Small-scale miners to be issued with land

The Natural Resources Ministry has announced that lands for small-scale miners will be made available shortly. This was revealed on Wednesday when the Ministry conveyed the message to the press. According to officials from the Ministry, arrangements are currently being finalised to make more lands available for small-scale miners to improve their livelihoods.

“This is in fulfilment of a promise made by Honourable Minister Raphael Trotman when he addressed over 300 miners at the Small Scale Miners Meetings held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre in January 2016,” an official related.
During the meeting, the Minister had reiterated that small-scale miners play an important role in sustaining the mining sector and the economy, and as such, he had vowed that the Government would remain committed to creating an environment that supports them in their ventures and efforts. During the panel discussions, miners’ concerns about the unavailability of land and landlordism were raised before Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes, and subsequent to those discussions, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and Closed Area Committee (CAC) were charged with the task of ensuring that the small-scale miners have land available to continue their operations.
“The finalisation of these arrangements will pave the way for genuine small-scale miners to begin applying for lands that are not only accessible but also hold encouraging prospects for gold mining. The Ministry will make announcement in the fortnight,” the release stated. The official stated that the Government remains committed to improving the conditions that miners work and operate under.
“The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Natural Resources, remains committed to working with all stakeholders in the mining sector to ensure that miners – small, medium and large-scale – can operate equitably in compliance with laws and regulations while ensuring safety and promoting sustainability in the mining sector,” the release stated.