Dear Editor
The President’s announcement in July, now repeated yesterday (26th Nov) by the Minister of Finance that two major large scale gold mines will come on stream by 2026 and 2027 once again exposes a fundamental issue this government refuses to confront: TRANSPARENCY
These pronouncements represent new investments from G Mining Ventures, Mako Mining Corp, and other multinational operators. Yet, despite the fanfare, the government continues to hide the very contracts governing these projects. These agreements were signed over a year ago, but to this day the Guyanese people remain completely in the dark.
In the press, not Parliament, the government has issued glowing public statements about the expected revenues from these investments. But public statements are not accountability. This administration has already demonstrated that it cannot be trusted with our oil revenues, it has failed to properly account for the national census, it presides over irregular public procurement practices, and high profile corruption matters go unattended. Meanwhile, key oversight bodies such as the Public Accounts Committee are sidelined or ignored.
This secrecy is especially alarming because gold, like oil, is a depletable natural resource with a finite economic life. The same applies to bauxite, manganese, and every other mineral Guyana relies on. Decisions taken today will determine whether these sectors build long term national wealth or whether future generations inherit nothing but empty pits and environmental scars.
Mining, like oil extraction, inflicts severe and lasting environmental damage from river contamination to deforestation and the disruption of Indigenous communities. Environmental safeguards must be clearly detailed in the contracts. But the public cannot scrutinize these protections if the contracts remain hidden.
Across all extractive industries, the implications for Guyanese labour, institutions, and regulatory bodies are enormous. Workers’ rights, safety conditions, training, and community protection should all be secured through binding agreements agreements the government refuses to release.
At the same time, gold, bauxite, manganese, and oil are major contributors to Guyana’s foreign exchange earnings and public revenues. With the gold mining sector projected in the Minister of Finance’s Mid Year Report to grow by 17.2%, the public has an even stronger right to know the fiscal terms under which these companies operate.
Beyond the two headline projects, at least three other companies controls an estimated 15.5 million ounces of gold, in Omai Gold Mines, Aris Mining’s Toroparu Project, G Mining Ventures’ Oko West, and Mako Mining’s Eagle Mountain. These companies publicly describe Guyana as “mining friendly” and boast of impressive returns for their shareholders. Yet the citizens of this country cannot evaluate whether Guyana receives comparable benefits.
It is worth remembering that when the PPP was in opposition, they loudly demanded the release of the ExxonMobil oil contract, arguing correctly that transparency was necessary to determine whether the deal benefited the Guyanese people. Today, however, under their leadership, and in a mining sector expanding even faster than oil did in its early phase, not a single mining contract has been released.
If these deals are as beneficial as government officials claim, then why hide them?
If the sector is poised for massive growth, then why fear transparency?
This government offers promises. Guyanese deserve the contracts.
Release the contracts now!
Yours truly
Sharma Solomon
Member of Parliament.
