Over 1,000 small miners gain land access – Min Bharrat

-as the government invests $10B in hinterland infrastructure

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, addressed the National Assembly on Tuesday, highlighting how Guyanese miners are thriving from enhanced access to land, bolstered by over $10 billion in hinterland infrastructure investments, ensuring safer and more accessible roadways.

The natural resources minister stated that the growing interest in the gold sector has opened opportunities for local miners to expand their business.

He noted that the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels off the coast of Guyana are watched by officials from important regulatory agencies to ensure transparency and accountability.

The key agencies are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Minister Bharrat reported that oil production has skyrocketed to more than 900,000 barrels per day, describing the achievement as unprecedented.

The minister also emphasised that continued exploration is being pursued in a safe and environmentally responsible manner to create opportunities for more Guyanese.

He further pointed to the role of the Local Content framework, explaining that over 1,200 Guyanese businesses are now registered and supplying goods and services to the petroleum sector.

“Without that legislation… we as Guyanese would have been bystanders in our own country,” he said.

Minister Bharrat explained that the government will continue investing in infrastructure. He said it will continue to manage the sector resources responsibly while expanding economic opportunities to benefit all Guyanese.