The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), with the support of the police, has commenced an operation to remove illegal miners from the Romanex concession at Marudi, in Region Nine.
The removal of the miners is intended to facilitate the conduct of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), which is required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order for Romanex to begin mining operations.
Sources indicated that a GGMC team upon arrival at the Marudi Mountains last Wednesday told the members of the Rupununi Miners Association (RMA) and other local miners to remove all mining equipment and leave the Romanex concession. They were told to relocate to the mining plot which was allotted to them last year by the GGMC.
One of the local miners who left and returned to his home village told Sunday Stabroek that they were given 72 hours to leave and were continuously warned by the police that should they remain at Marudi, they [the miners] would be forcibly removed. “We don’t really understand what is going on so me and a few others just left,” the miner, who asked not to be named, said.
According to one of the Managers of Romanex in Marudi, Daniel Aguilar, a meeting was held on Friday to explain the situation to the miners but despite that, some of them are still refusing to relocate. He also indicated that the operation was being lawfully done.
Aguilar went on to explain that Romanex, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the RMA, the Guyana Women Miners Organisation, GGMC and other stakeholders came to an agreement, last month about the continuous breach of the Romanex concession by small miners, which resulted in the failure to conduct an ESIA.
It was agreed upon by all parties mentioned, he said, that GGMC and law enforcement ranks from Georgetown would conduct an operation, whereby all illegal mining operations on Mazoa Mountain (Marudi), being done by local miners and members of RMA, would be halted so that Romanex can begin conducting the ESIA.
“A lot of things weren’t working and it was agreed upon, by all parties involved, that this operation was necessary,” Aguilar commented during an interview via telephone with Sunday Stabroek.
He noted that there were 70 active operators when the Marudi Mediation agreement was signed in 2016 but only 34 operators remain, including some unlicensed operators. He said although the RMA members agreed to stop mining on the Romanex concession and were subsequently relocated to another mining plot, they breached the agreement and began mining on the Romanex concession after a few weeks. This, he said, halted the ESIA which was being done by the Ground Structures Engineering Consultants.
Toshao of Aishalton Village and Vice-Chairman of the South Rupununi District Council Michael Thomas further explained that Romanex was working with the EPA to complete the ESIA. He said the removal of the miners is necessary, as there should be no mining activity when the ESIA is being conducted.
Thomas also said when the mediation agreement was signed in 2016, it stated that within two weeks all 70 operators (now 34) would leave the Romanex concession so the ESIA could be conducted. However, they soon commenced mining activities on the concession, thereby breaching the terms of the agreement. The toshao, who is fully supporting the operation, related that he made calls to miners who hail from Aishalton village, urging them to peacefully comply with the request made by GGMC. “We are not trying to end mining operations for the miners because as soon as the ESIA is conducted, the miners can resume all operations as stipulated by the agreement,” he noted.
