Gy$ 49M of mining royalties turned over to Amerindians

The Amerindian Affairs Ministry on Monday received a cheque totalling over Gy$ 49 million in royalties from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) through the Natural Resources and the Environment Ministry.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, the money accounts for 20 per cent of the royalties from mining activities paid to the GGMC for the period 2006 to 2011 by small and medium-scale miners in hinterland communities, among which are Isseneru, Warrow, Jawalla, Chinese Landing and Campbelltown.

The transfer is in keeping with the 2006 Amerindian Act which stipulates that the GGMC shall transfer 20 per cent of the royalties from mining activities to a fund designated by the minister for the benefit of Amerindian villages.
The act further states that small and medium-scale miners shall pay to the village councils, not less than seven per cent of the value of any minerals obtained from village lands.
Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai at the presentation disclosed that the use of the funds will be guided by procedures that will benefit Amerindian villages that are not engaged in mining, or fall within mining districts. She stated that the presentation marks another significant step in advancing Amerindian development through the availability of additional funds of up to Gy$ 300,000 that could be used to supplement projects in those villages.
Natural Resources and the Environment Minister Robert Persaud stated that the fund will allow the National Toshaos Council (NTC) and other stakeholders to be involved in projects that will foster improvement in the living conditions and economic status of Amerindians.
“We have always talked about improving and expanding the village economy, especially in the Amerindian communities and certainly the vision in the Amerindian Act is to ensure that the proceeds from mining contribute to the national effort… this will allow other communities to share in the wealth of our country,” he said.
Minister Persaud noted that since mining in Amerindian communities is a very sensitive issue, an indigenous affairs specialist has been appointed with the aim of removing some of the misconceptions and reducing conflict, animosity and suspicion between the mining and Amerindian communities. “We are looking to revise some protocols, we are looking at ways to improve our regulations; we have developed a mechanism where a committee will address the issues of concerns in the relationships between Amerindian communities and miners,” he said.
Minister Sukhai explained that conditions are in place to process funding for the continuation, or completion of any project that a community may have embarked upon. However, the community will have to seek the village’s consent to apply for the funds, and the village council will signal its approval to the Amerindian Affairs Ministry so that the proposal could be processed. The committee that will review the proposal and make decisions comprises members of the NTC and representatives of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry.
The Amerindian Affairs Ministry on Monday received a cheque totalling over Gy$ 49 million in royalties from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) through the Natural Resources and the Environment Ministry. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, the money accounts for 20 per cent of the royalties from mining activities paid to the GGMC for the period 2006 to 2011 by small and medium-scale miners in hinterland communities, among which are Isseneru, Warrow, Jawalla, Chinese Landing and Campbelltown. The transfer is in keeping with the 2006 Amerindian Act which stipulates that the GGMC shall transfer 20 per cent of the royalties from mining activities to a fund designated by the minister for the benefit of Amerindian villages.The act further states that small and medium-scale miners shall pay to the village councils, not less than seven per cent of the value of any minerals obtained from village lands. Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai at the presentation disclosed that the use of the funds will be guided by procedures that will benefit Amerindian villages that are not engaged in mining, or fall within mining districts. She stated that the presentation marks another significant step in advancing Amerindian development through the availability of additional funds of up to Gy$ 300,000 that could be used to supplement projects in those villages. Natural Resources and the Environment Minister Robert Persaud stated that the fund will allow the National Toshaos Council (NTC) and other stakeholders to be involved in projects that will foster improvement in the living conditions and economic status of Amerindians. “We have always talked about improving and expanding the village economy, especially in the Amerindian communities and certainly the vision in the Amerindian Act is to ensure that the proceeds from mining contribute to the national effort… this will allow other communities to share in the wealth of our country,” he said. Minister Persaud noted that since mining in Amerindian communities is a very sensitive issue, an indigenous affairs specialist has been appointed with the aim of removing some of the misconceptions and reducing conflict, animosity and suspicion between the mining and Amerindian communities. “We are looking to revise some protocols, we are looking at ways to improve our regulations; we have developed a mechanism where a committee will address the issues of concerns in the relationships between Amerindian communities and miners,” he said. Minister Sukhai explained that conditions are in place to process funding for the continuation, or completion of any project that a community may have embarked upon. However, the community will have to seek the village’s consent to apply for the funds, and the village council will signal its approval to the Amerindian Affairs Ministry so that the proposal could be processed. The committee that will review the proposal and make decisions comprises members of the NTC and representatives of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry.