Last evening miners, residents and youths gathered at the community centre ground to show their opposition to the proposal. This follows similar demonstrations in the communities of Bartica and Port Kaituma recently.
“Gold mining is everything for us,” said miner and businessman Timothy Junior.
Ivan Pio, the Toshao of Campbelltown, an Amerindian community that borders Mahdia said that he has not and would not sign on to the government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). He declared that there are no jobs available in the community but mining.
A number of youths also spoke in support of mining while Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Mines Manager Derek Bobb assured that mining will continue. However, residents questioned what would happen to them should mining be closed.
“We wuking fuh an honest dollar,” said one man.
Miners are to meet Presi-dent Bharrat Jagdeo tomorrow on the controversial mining notice proposal.
