Dear Editor,
It is indeed most welcome that the Mining Regulations are being reviewed to make them more in tune with the present needs of the industry. While this review is being undertaken, one hopes it includes the regulations governing shops in the mining districts.
As it is at present, shops can only be set up at designated ‘Landings’, irrespective of the distance from the actual mining locations. Any shop located away from a landing is deemed illegal by the Mining Regulations and subject to an offence and charge.
While having all shops at a designated location may have been an accepted norm in the olden days, today the mining is so widespread that this law is impractical. Many mining operations are large distances from the mining sites and it is impractical for a miner, especially the smaller miner, to travel to the landing to makes his purchases.
Further, landings are so designed that only a few actually gain licences. And in many instances a few individuals end up monopolizing the landing by owning multiple plots of lands which they then hoard and try to lease for exorbitant prices, hence pushing the smaller man out of business. This multiple plot ownership is also the reason why many areas on a landing are lying idle, but no other interested individual can access them. This scenario is identical to landlordism, which exists with mining blocks, and one which the Minister is presently doing her utmost to regulate. A designated landing also has a fixed acreage. So when that area is filled with leases, as is the case with most of the older established landings, it becomes impossible for a new entrant in the business to access a plot of land. Many applicants have had their applications lying idle at GGMC for years. These are some of the key reasons why illegal shops exist in the industry.
While some aspects of shops, such as alcohol and prostitution, can be detrimental to mining, there are other businesses which are absolutely critical to the everyday operation of a mining site. These include businesses such as fuel supply, groceries and perishables, internet communication, mechanical workshops, etc. The law presently makes all shops illegal, irrespective of the service they provide, once they don’t exist on an official landing. This is denying a man a fair form of income and more critically incapacitates a mining operation if it cannot easily access basic needs. It is most definitely impractical, and also a very serious safety concern, for a dredge owner to travel for hours to a landing to find an internet shop or a mechanic workshop or purchase meat to cook for his crew.
With the advent of a review of the Mining Regulations, it is time for a rethink of the practicality of shops only existing on designated landings.
Mining is a very mobile activity. Today it may be at this location while tomorrow it moves somewhere else. The Regulations governing shops should be tailored for this mobility.
If there is no review of the Mining Regulations governing shops, then there will continue to be illegal shops for, even though it is frowned upon by the authorities, it is absolutely critical to the success of mining operations nearby. It is therefore much more beneficial to be able to regularize a shop than to have it deemed illegal, even though it offers a critical service to the industry.
Hopefully foresight, commonsense and rational thinking will prevail and a new Regulation can be implemented whereby shops in the mining districts can be easily regularized to the benefit of all, including GGMC.
Yours faithfully,
J Edwards
