Lethem-Brazil road promises increased investment
…regularization of non-nationals to continue
Guyana Chronicle
July 5, 2003

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GINA - The completion of the Guyana-Brazil road project is expected to significantly impact trade relations between the two countries, which are already visible in Guyana’s mining industry, through the presence of miners.

Yesterday, a high-level team from the ministry of Home Affairs and technical officers from agencies tasked with establishing the physical infrastructures of the Guyana/Brazil Road Transport Agreement, left Georgetown for a three-day visit to Lethem, to examine the Lethem to Linden road project.

The visit was initiated as part of Guyana’s efforts towards the implementation of the Guyana-Brazil Road Transport Agreement that will govern the physical movement of goods and people, hence traffic between the two countries, following the completion of the road.

The objective also encompassed the development of a road map of physical features of the sketch leading to Brazil, and its condition during rainy season.

While in Lethem, the visiting delegation also plans to identify possible locations for the establishment of police stations and outposts, customs, immigration and forest wardens’ check points, truck and bus stops and sanitary conveniences.
New PUC head sworn in

Mr. Morris Solomon was sworn in yesterday as the new head of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

A Chartered Accountant and member of the National Insurance Board, Mr. Solomon has joined the PUC at a time when the watchdog agency is facing a large body of complaints about the quality of service and rate charges by utility companies.

In this OP photo, Mr. Solomon is congratulated by Prime Minister Sam Hinds after his swearing in.
In addition the team is expected to earmark possible locations for traffic signs along the road that will link Guyana to its Southern neighbour Brazil.

During an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Mr. Robeson Benn, said that the GGMC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs are continuously engaged in regularization exercises to ensure the proper documentations of non-nationals working in the minefields.

Commenting on the ongoing Guyana/Brazil road project Benn said, “We anticipate more investment through the Brazilian miners transport and utilization of mining equipment which should be more cost effective using the road.”

Guyana’s increased declaration in diamond mining over the past two years has been linked to the presence of Brazilian miners, whose employment of new technology on the diamond fields have yielded positive results.’

At the moment, the foreign nationals transport their equipment to Guyana via the sea, for small and medium scale mining operations.

Benn said that because of Guyana’s open borders, there might always be a large float of persons entering the country, but he confirmed that some 15 to 20 non-nationals are currently at various stages of being documented.

The GGMC Commissioner explained that work permits and accompanying documentation were originally intended for the use by non-nationals, upon their arrival through the regular port of entry, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

However, because of Guyana’s close proximity to Brazil by virtue of the Lethem trail, the GGMC official observed that a significant number of Brazilian miners come into the country to pursue exploits in the diamond field.

He cited expulsion as the most stringent sanction local authorities could implement against undocumented non-nationals, but this would damage the mining industry, Benn stated.

“We have recognized the presence of the non-nationals as a representation of foreign exchange into Guyana,” said the GGMC Head. He placed investments made into the local economy by the Brazilian miners between US$10 to $15M over the past few years.

In light of the recent implication of a Brazilian-national in criminal activity in Guyana, Benn said there might be deviance amongst the foreign miners, but he remarked that the GGMC has no evidence of instances involving the non-nationals who are registered in Guyana for the purpose of mining.