Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran has said that the GGMC should provide clarification on the leasing of state lands for mining to the relatives of Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha.
In his July 26 accountability column in Kiskadee Watch, Goolsarran noted that the Minister of Agriculture’s two sons and his daughter-in-law are reportedly in possession of 7,614 acres of prime gold-mining lands. He noted the Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed’s statement that these leases were granted at a time when there are local miners who applied for lands decades ago but are yet to receive a claim, or a block.
Goolsarran noted however that Mustapha maintains that the lands were acquired through lawful procedures established by the relevant authorities and that his children have been engaged in medium-scale mining for several years.
“Considering the above, it would be appropriate for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) responsible for the leasing of State lands for mining purposes, to issue a clarification statement on the matter”, Goolsarran said.
He went on to point out that according to the latest report of the Auditor General, the GGMC was last audited to 2016 and is therefore eight years in arrears in terms of financial reporting and audit.
“These audits were strictly in the nature of financial audits and did not review operations of the entity, especially as regards compliance with the provisions of the GGMC Act as well as the Mining Act, despite the fact that the Auditor General is empowered under the Audit Act to conduct performance audits. The authorities should therefore commission a comprehensive forensic audit of the GGMC by an experienced forensic auditor”, Goolsarran said.
Mohamed had released a video statement stating that the minister’s sons and daughter-in-law had acquired the said lands while “local miners who applied decades ago are yet to receive a claim, much less a block.”
“We must question this travesty regarding how prime mining lands are allocated and the level of transparency within the approval process at the GGMC (Guyana Geology and Mines Commission), particularly in relation to the Minister of Agriculture and his family,” Mohamed had stated.
He alleged that the minister’s daughter-in-law received 2,867 acres across three blocks, while one son was granted 2,349 acres across two blocks and another son received 2,398 acres across two blocks.
In response, the minister charged that the allegations are “wild and unsubstantiated.”
“All of my sons mining lands were acquired through the lawful procedures established by the relevant authorities responsible for the allocation of mining properties. Those allocations were made by the competent agencies acting within their statutory authority, and his business operations are conducted within the legal framework governing the mining sector,” Mustapha shared.
“Every Guyanese has the right to apply for gold-mining properties, provided they comply with the law, pay the required fees and make the necessary investments. That right is available to all citizens on equal terms. My children have been engaged in medium-scale mining for several years. Their participation in the sector has been conducted openly and in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations,” he continued.
He also sought to address Mohamed’s allegation that the lands owned by the minister’s family are leased to foreign mining tycoons “so the Mustaphas can get major …rentals.”
“That allegation is false. Significantly, despite making such a serious accusation, he has failed to identify a single foreign company or produce any evidence to support that claim,” the minister argued, adding, “If Azruddin Mohamed genuinely believes that any law has been broken by me or any member of my family, then…he should submit whatever evidence he claims to possess to the competent authorities so that they can investigate and, if warranted, take the appropriate action.”
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