More accessible services, wealth creation support for small miners coming

More accessible services and the development of a mining area for groups of small miners to work in were among the promises made by President Dr Irfann Ali on Friday during a visit to the Puruni, Region Seven.

Dr Ali visited the mining hub as part of efforts to directly engage workers. He acknowledged the arduous work miners do and emphasised that his government is keen on supporting these workers.

Within the next month, commercial banks are expected to send representatives to the mining communities to help miners open bank accounts. Those workers are also expected to properly register their operations and act in compliance with all local regulations and laws.

Once these requisite processes are finished, President Ali said the government would be better positioned to assist.

Already, he said, the government will identify land that a consortium of small miners can work on. The government will help develop that area with the basic infrastructure needed, while also supporting equipment and transportation needs. Additionally, President Ali said such models will encourage local authorities to head into the area for gold declarations instead of requiring miners to leave the mining camps to visit a Guyana Gold Board office.

“Within the next two months, we will have allocations to small miners’ consortium… all we ask in return is for you to do the right thing,” President Ali said, adding that this support will help them create wealth.

In recent months, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has moved to significantly tighten oversight of the gold mining sector, announcing mandatory local bank account requirements and compulsory updates of personal records for all miners and stakeholders as part of a broader national push to clamp down on illegal activity, environmental abuse, and gold smuggling. The Commission warned that non-compliance will directly affect the processing and renewal of licences and permits, underscoring that financial traceability is now a core component of regulatory compliance in the sector.

President Ali told the miners that these measures are not meant to be punitive; rather, he posited, they will help ensure there is good governance of the sector.

He also noted that these measures will help the government support miners better. With declarations made, President Ali explained, land allocations become easier.