Mining sector to benefit from incentives, infrastructure and financing support – Pres Ali assures Puruni miners

Gold mining remains a key pillar of Guyana’s economy, and the government is rolling out new incentives, financing opportunities and infrastructure investments to strengthen the sector, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said on Friday during an engagement with miners in Puruni, Region Seven.

The president, accompanied by Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, met with small and medium-scale miners and outlined measures aimed at improving compliance, expanding access to credit and enhancing living conditions in mining communities.

“We are here in partnership with you. We want you to be successful… but we want you to be successful and at the same time contribute to the development of our country,” President Ali told the gathering.

He encouraged miners to comply with regulations and sell gold through legal channels, particularly the Guyana Gold Board, noting that proper declarations can unlock financing and business growth.

“When you declare your gold legally… those declaration slips will help you to get loans to grow larger and larger… We want you to be empowered,” he said.

To support miners, the president announced that teams will be deployed to assist with documentation, digital identification, bank account registration and the regularisation of operations.

“We are not going to ask you to come to Georgetown. We are going to send a team in here to help you… to ensure that you are entered properly into the system,” he said.

Several investments were also announced for the Puruni area, including the expansion of the existing clinic into a full health centre, the establishment of a police outpost, a mining policing group, improved firefighting capacity, youth recreational facilities and the introduction of the Guyana Digital School to support children in the community.

Discussions are also underway to complete the Puruni Bridge and to facilitate access to an airstrip that can serve miners and emergency services.

Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat said the president’s visit was a first by any sitting president, and it signals the government’s continued support for the mining sector, particularly small and medium-scale operators.

He highlighted measures in Budget 2026 that will directly benefit miners, including significant reductions in duties on four-door pickup trucks and the removal of duties on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), which are widely used in interior locations.

Minister Bharrat also pointed to the planned establishment of the Guyana Development Bank, which will allow small miners to access loans of up to $3 million without collateral or interest, along with technical support to prepare business plans.

“The enforcement activity is not designed to push our miners out of the sector. It is designed to help you to become compliant… to ensure that your operation is legal,” the minister explained.

President Ali urged miners to take advantage of the initiatives and work collectively to build a more sustainable and profitable industry.

“We are not in competition with you. We want you to be successful… not only for a day or two days or a week. We want you to be successful in your life,” he said.