In a significant legal victory for small-scale miners in Guyana, Milton Brandford and Ayudhia Narine have successfully challenged the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Minister of Natural Resources in court. Chief Justice Roxane George ruled in favor of the miners, declaring them the lawful owners of 32 gold claims at 14 Mile Issano, Karouni.

Key points of the ruling:

1. The court quashed the GGMC’s “order to remove from a claim area” issued on July 19, 2023, against Brandford and Narine.
2. Chief Justice George also nullified ministerial order 56 of 2023, which had ordered the stoppage of mining activities on the claims.
3. The court granted an injunction preventing the Minister and GGMC from awarding claim licenses in the disputed areas to anyone except Narine and Brandford.
4. The Chief Justice declared that the miners had not breached any regulations or laws, and that the Minister and GGMC had acted “unfairly and in bad faith” in their dealings with the miners.
5. The GGMC and Minister were ordered to process the applications for 32 claim licenses made by Brandford and Narine favorably.

This ruling highlights the ongoing challenges faced by small-scale miners in Guyana and the importance of fair and transparent processes in the mining sector. It also underscores the need for clear communication and adherence to established regulations by government bodies overseeing the industry.

The case serves as a reminder of the complex relationship between small-scale miners, regulatory bodies, and the government in Guyana’s gold mining sector, which has been a subject of ongoing debate and scrutiny.