Guyanese miners and residents of Kurupung want decisive action to be taken to curb alleged corruption at Kurupung by Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) officers stationed there.

The miners state that the Brazilian garimpeiros were getting all the benefits from the malpractices occurring in the diamond-producing area because systems were not being enforced by the officers.

The residents, who are also miners, stressed they were not against the Brazilians being there but pointed out that the regulations must be enforced so that everyone would share the benefits.

Their concerns were raised with Prime Minister Sam Hinds when he visited Kurupung just over a year ago, and with GGMC commissioner Brian Sucre three weeks ago.

The residents and miners are now seeking a meeting with President Bharrat Jagdeo to see if any headway would be made in dealing with the issues.

At the opening of Mining Week last Monday, President Bharrat Jagdeo noted that while government encouraged investment at all levels, there were concerns whether small scale operations in mining should be opened up to foreigners.

He said a team has been established to work on this issue and urged that it be studied carefully.

Kurupung has been experiencing a diamond shout for about one year.

Only recently a 42-carat gem diamond was found there.

This gem diamond is the third largest ever found in Guyana.

The main issue of contention put forward by the miners was that the Brazilians were being allowed to work the land which has been declared closed by the GGMC.

When Stabroek News visited Kurupung last weekend, a trip was taken into the backdam where the dredges were operating.

Places visited had names like Chance Creek, Jugwasher, Takuba, and Guy-Braz.

The dredges in the backdam were predominantly Brazilian.

Brenton Edwards, a miner operating in Kurupung for 22 years, explained that claims located in 2000 and 2001 were declared null and void by GGMC.

Many Guyanese miners located claims during this period and had to give them up.

The miners who located claims were told that the lands would be available to them by GGMC at a later date.

When Stabroek News made checks during the visit to the Kurupung backdam, work was ongoing on the lands which were supposed to be closed.

Further checks revealed that it was only Brazilian-operated dredges which were working the closed lands.

There are just about 300 dredges operating in Kurupung and its immediate surroundings.

Miners say some 150 entered the area this year.

The regulations prevent foreigners from taking out claims but the Brazilians get around this by having their Guyanese girlfriends or wives apply for the land.

The regulations state that only three foreigners are allowed to work on a dredge but this is not upheld.

As one Brazilian, John Patterson who operates a dredge in the Guy-Braz area with his brother and Brazilian crew, put it: they have to do what it takes to make money.

The Guyanese miners said the Brazilians work the land at a fast rate.

They rise as early as 04:00 hrs to begin their day.

Edwards showed Stabroek News areas at Takuba where the land was worked out by the Brazilians.

"Just a few days ago there were trees here but these people work at a terrible pace," he stated.

The local miners are scared the land will be worked out before they get a chance to take out claims.

Regional Democratic Councillor of Region Seven, Janet Husbands, estimated there were about 4,000 persons living and working in Kurupung and its surroundings.

She pointed out because of slack monitoring and kickbacks, the Brazilians are allowed to leave with diamond production without declaring the correct amount.

The government loses a lot in royalty this way, Husbands said, and Kurupung suffers because this puts back the development of the area.

A conservative estimate of the production in Kurupung is 12 carats per week times 300 dredges.

Thirty-six hundred carats at an average price of $17,000 per carat equals $61.2 million in production per week.

According to the Kurupung residents, the Brazilians just jump on an aircraft and the production ends up in Brazil.

Alan Duncan, a miner who has been in Kurupung since 1958, pointed out that in the past Guyanese miners had little or no capital to work their lands which were eventually neglected.

He said the influx of the Brazilians brought money into the area and boosted production.

He welcomed the fact that the Brazilians came and brought the technology required to get the diamonds.

Duncan acknowledged there was a racket going on which allowed the Brazilians to work the closed lands.

Ann Baker, who operates in the Chance creek area, said she was not against the Brazilians being there but lamented that the GGMC officers stationed at Kurupung were not fulfilling their mandate.

She said she owed it to the Brazilians for her achievements at Kurupung to date.

She noted, however, that there were many of them who work there without work permits and with expired passports.

"If it wasn't for the Brazilians I would not have been able to make a dollar," Baker said.

To get to Kurupung by river, a jet boat transports passengers from Bartica.

There are stops at Issano and Enachu before moving on to Kurupung.

A Brazilian miner who operates five dredges said Brazilians pay out $30,000 per head to pass through without proper documentation.

It is said the Brazilians budget the pay-outs as part of their operational costs so they come prepared to do so.

A protocol has recently been adopted by GGMC and the Ministry of Home Affairs to monitor foreigners in the mining industry but the regulations are largely ignored.