Dear Editor,
The list of the exploiters is long and extensive. They arrive from many countries of the world with large equipment that leaves large holes in the ground after the gold and diamond deposits are removed. This long running event shows only a small benefit to the Guyanese populace.
The current complaint is that landlordism is strangling the mining sector. This very mining sector, at the last report, gives to the government 5% of what was reportedly mined. The issue is that the Government of Guyana does not have a clue as to how much gold and diamonds are being mined, removed and smuggled out of Guyana. In a show on Guyana’s television last November on mining, there was a Brazilian living and mining in Guyana for twenty years, explaining to a new miner from Colorado. US, that the gold and diamonds run within the same soil. That being the case how would the Guyanese authorities be able to verify how much diamonds and gold are being mined?
The question every Guyanese should ask is why there are so many foreigners coming to Guyana to mine our precious resources? Throughout the world there are numerous companies building television and other electronic equipment using trained local labour. When the foreign companies leave the local labour stays and continues the operation with the host country benefiting immeasurably. There are no current benefits accruing to Guyana with the many mining companies currently exploiting Guyana’s resources.
Currently, there are nationals from almost every country worldwide, mining gold and diamonds in Guyana, and the Guyana government is either financially restricted or lacks the knowledge to raise the issue about how to impose equitable controls on the mining sector participants.
Guyana needs a plan to control our precious metal and diamond resources. We cannot allow numerous mining entities to set up shop in Guyana. The resources will soon be exhausted then what do we have to show for having had precious metals?
It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that our mineral resources are not there for the expeditious use of others. There must be more control and accountability of what comes out of the ground. This resource does not regenerate itself and Guyana does not belong to everyone who deems themselves miners.
It is preferable for all mining to be done by only Guyanese with effective controls and accountability. There should be a register of all miners and those who fail to prove that they are Guyanese by birth should be asked to leave mining operations to the Guyanese.
The mining industry should be self-sustainable. Given the current condition of Guyana’s mining industry could we envision Guyana accumulating any wealth from the gold-mining activities after the resources are exhausted? The nation of Guyana should not continue to hide its head in the sand hoping that the tiresome issues would soon resolve themselves and bring to an end the headaches that come with having natural resources.
Yours faithfully,
Patrick Barker
