[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has welcomed the decision of Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud to issue a ban on mining operations to respective indigenous communities in the Parabara Road, South Rupununi aimed at penetrating the New River Triangle.
The GHRA met with the Minister and his team on Thursday, December 5 where several issues were discussed. At the meeting, the GHRA was told that the Ministry did not grant permission or awarded any license for mining operations in the area.
“As such, there should be no road construction taking place in the area as an aspect of mining operations. The Ministry stated that the machinery that had been assembled for road construction but work had not yet begun,” the GHRA stated in a press release.
Additionally, the GHRA also welcomed the decision to set in train a process aimed at Guyana becoming a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
The EITI is an international mechanism encouraging transparency with respect to revenue transfers in countries engaged in extractive industries. Member countries commit to production of an annual country report by the government, which is independently verified by the international body.
