…says it is deathknell for industryIn a fiery meeting,Cheap Jerseys From China, gold and diamond miners yesterday called on the government to scrap proposals that will mandate them to give six months notice before starting operations and said that new regulations, if approved, will regulate them out of business.At a special meeting called by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) at its North Road office,China Jerseys, more than 100 small and medium-scale concerned miners also called for Government to seriously consider opening up more areas to expand mining.The miners said that the effects of the proposed regulations to the industry are like a man whose hands and legs are bound and eyes blindfolded.Commissioner (ag) of the regulatory body, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), William Woolford, who gave a background to the need for regulations for sustainable development as far as the environment is concerned, noted that the proposals are still being studied by a committee established by President Bharrat Jagdeo and whose members come from the mining body and GGMC.Minister Robeson Benn, a former Commissioner of GGMC,cheap jerseys, heads that committee which is still mulling several recommendations.The committee should be making its recommendations known by mid-month, the official said.According to Woolford, the reality of the situation is that the stakeholders, including forestry concessions holders and government, among others, want to have a say in the industry, especially in the areas related to the environment.Miners need to improve their operations.They say that the current rate of about 35 per cent recovery was not enough when mining. It should be increased to about 80 per cent using better methodology,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, the official urged. It does make sense to invest $60M in excavators and not spend another $5M to improve the recovery rate.Woolford stressed that the industry is on the right track but there is an urgent need to engage the stakeholders.According to the official, already several additional officers of GGMC have been placed in the fields and there are moves to set up GGMC camps where there are clusters of dredges.He challenged the industry to conduct a technical study of the industry and offered the help to GGMC in making this happen.However,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, there are some problems in the industry including failures by some miners to remit payment to the National Insurance Scheme for workers. People must know that Guyana is toeing the line and is operating in keeping with international standards.The official assured that the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is not a recipe for back door cessation of mining in Guyana.There is no intention to regulate miners out of business. It is not unreasonable to ask the industry for better environmental management, a better occupational health and safety code and an improvement in efficiency.With regards to the Guyana Forestry Commission having a possible veto in granting permission for mining, the Commissioner pointed out that it is at the moment a proposal and miners have the opportunity to counter these as they are represented in the special committee appointed by the President.President of the GGDMA, Major General (rtd), Norman McLean,Cheap Jerseys Authentic, noted that the six months notice proposal is like a death knell for miners. He urged that it be withdrawn.Executive Director, slammed the proposal also and said that GGDMA was not consulted.Responding to proposal that if it is there be a 10 per cent of lands to be opened for mining, Woolford said that as long as there are minerals to be mined, they will be mined.Meanwhile, miner and former President of GGDMA Alfro Alphonso, doubted that there are problems with the loggers and miners.He pointed out that in many cases, the area where mining is taking place is dense with woods that have no economical value. With miners using their own capital, the six months proposal is a sure way to force almost all the small and medium miners out of business.