Georgetown: The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission has earmarked several blocks of mining lands for miners who are part of the South Rupununi Miners’ Association and former occupiers of Romanex Mining lands in Marudi, Region 9.
Of the blocks earmarked, some will be allocated to the Rupununi Miners’ Association while another is identified for administration by the Guyana Women Miners’ Organisation (GWMO) for its members who are operating in Mining District 6.
The Ministry of Natural Resources said the new lands being made available are contiguous to the Romanex Concession.
The move to new lands is part of an agreed menu of measures to facilitate the smooth conduct of an ongoing Environment and Social Impact Assessment in the area, which Romanex Guyana Exploration Ltd. is required by law to complete before full-fledged operations can commence.
In April 2016, the Government through Minister Raphael Trotman intervened in a standoff between small miners from the Marudi Mountain area, representatives of indigenous communities and Romanex and facilitated a mediation process with the help of Major-General retired Joe Singh.
The successful mediation resulted in all parties signing the ‘Mediation of the Marudi Mountain Mining Dispute Agreement’ that would guide future engagements to finalize a solution.
Minister Trotman plans to have a consultation with the relevant stakeholders including, representatives of the South Rupununi indigenous communities, next month, to receive further feedback with a view to guiding the process forward.
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