The Organization of American States (OAS) with funding from the U.S. Department of State this week held a two-day workshop at the Cara Lodge for private and public stakeholders on combatting transnational illegal mining, according to a statement yesterday from the US Embassy.
US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat and Prithima Kissoon from the Attorney General’s Chambers delivered remarks at the opening ceremony on Nov 28, 2023.
The release said that Theriot lauded the United States’ partnership with the “Government of Guyana to address shared security challenges and to build an inclusive criminal justice system in Guyana to better combat crime and illicit trafficking that threaten U.S. national security and destabilize Guyana’s security, posing risks for Guyana’s investment climate.”
She said that “it is no secret that transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) exploit Guyana’s rich natural resources, such as its gold reserves, to advance their illicit activities which has negative consequences for Guyana’s economy and development. Even more concerning, TCOs smuggle precursors – such as mercury, gasoline, and highly polluting chemicals – into Guyana, which can devastate Guyana’s pristine biodiversity and public health. Effectively addressing the transnational nature of the illegal gold trade and its international financing requires regional collaboration from both the public and the private sectors”, she said.
For years, successive governments have failed in their bid to grapple with gold smuggling which is believed to be largescale. There have also been questions about Venezuelan gold being commingled with Guyana’s gold.
In 2012, 476 pounds of gold spirited out of this country was stolen from a Guyanese fishing boat which was docked on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao. No one was charged or prosecuted.
