Minister Rohee holds talks with GGDMA members

 Georgetown :Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee today convened a meeting with members of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners’ (GGDMA) Association at his Brickdam Office to discuss matters of mutual interests, particularly related to security.

This meeting is in keeping with a commitment made by the Ministry during a forum hosted in January by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara.

At that forum, Minister Rohee delivered a presentation on the developments and plans for the security sector.

“We hope to come to some agreement and understanding on the way forward with respect to concerns on both sides,” the Minister said.

Also present, were Commissioner of Police (ag), Leroy Brummel, Deputy Commissioner, Seelall Persaud and other senior ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Colonel Bruce Lovell from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

On January 9, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Robert Persaud met with the GGDMA to discuss issues such as: technical assistance to the mining sector, security concerns, health issues and infrastructure development.

During that meeting, Minister Rohee spoke of the reforms that the security sector will be embarking on. These include the severance of E and F Division into two separate police divisions headed by senior police officers. This aim of this move is to ensure that the security needs of the mining communities are better served.

Miners were informed by Minister Rohee that the process for the application and granting of firearms’ licences was revised and all applications would be reviewed by a Firearm Licence Approval Board which will be established to ensure that the process is transparent, structured, efficient and just.

In addition, the application process will be computerised to expedite and streamline the process. The Minister assured of increased mobility of the police and the establishment of a new Floating Outpost and strategic checkpoints.

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