The Guyana Government is exploring the possibility of granting gold traders’ licences to Village Councils, according to Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat.
Speaking during the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference, the minister explained that he had asked the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to explore the possibility of this measure.
Minister Bharrat noted that this licence would empower the Village Council to buy gold from miners and then sell back the resource to the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) or any of the five companies in the country that are licenced to export gold.
He revealed that the government is already working with Chenapou in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) for their Village Council to acquire a licence, following a request from the community’s leaders.
In this regard, he is urging other interested Village Councils to reach out to the ministry or the GGMC to initiate the process.
“We want to work with other communities too that are producing gold and that the village council would like to have a trader’s licence to buy the gold and then sell it to the Guyana Gold Board,” the minister said.
“And then you will help us in the country to have the production being declared through the legal/right channels,” he added.
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