President Dr. Irfaan Ali will visit the mining communities of Puruni and Bartica on Friday, February 6, 2026, as part of continued efforts to strengthen engagement with small-scale miners and address key issues affecting the sector.
According to a notice from the Ministry of Natural Resources, the visit is aimed at facilitating direct dialogue with miners on a range of mining-related matters, including operational challenges, emerging opportunities, and ongoing government initiatives within the industry.
The engagement in Puruni, Region Seven, is scheduled for 10:00 hours at the Trevor Williams Shop, Puruni Landing. This will be followed by a second engagement in Bartica, also in Region Seven, at 11:30 hours at the Bartica Community Centre Ground.
The outreach forms part of the administration’s broader strategy to maintain close consultation with stakeholders in the mining sector, which remains a critical pillar of Guyana’s economy and a major source of employment, particularly in hinterland and riverain communities.
The engagements will provide miners with an opportunity to raise concerns directly with the Head of State, while also receiving updates on policy direction, regulatory initiatives, and support measures being rolled out to improve sustainability, compliance, and productivity in the sector.
For the month of January, 53 individuals were arrested, charged and convicted as the government intensifies its nationwide crackdown on illegal mining operations.
The convictions stemmed from a range of illegal activities, including mining without a licence or permit; operating licensed dredges on mining properties without the permission of the property holder and the use of unregistered or unlicensed dredges.
President Ali had previously urged all gold miners to make a full declaration of gold produced in 2025, adding that registered dredges with no declarations will be deregistered, while illegal foreign miners must be identified for prosecution and expulsion.
These issues were raised by the President during a meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) at State House.
“During the meeting, the President directed that immediate action be taken to ensure that all gold miners fully comply with their obligations to declare all gold produced in 2025. “Further, all registered dredges with no declarations will be deregistered, and all foreign miners operating illegally in Guyana must be identified for prosecution and expulsion. It was also noted that some Brazilian miners operating in Guyana have had very low or no declarations.
In December 2025, President Ali had said that his government would pursue and shut down delinquent operators who continue to exploit state incentives while failing to declare their gold.
According to the Ministry of Finance’s 2025 mid-year report, gold declarations are up by 10.9 per cent this year, but Dr Ali stressed that this remains below the government’s expectations.
He had emphasised at the time that miners who profit from the sector have a legal responsibility to accurately declare their gold, reminding them that this duty is “not by choice, but by law.”
The President added that the government intends to overhaul systems that have enabled chronic under-declaration and illegal exports, stating that the state must stop facilitating “those kinds of people.”
One gold smuggler alone stole more than $190 billion from the Guyanese economy, he had disclosed.
