Amerindian property traded with no benefits

September 20, 202611 min read

Dear Editor,

Almost three weeks ago, the Department of Public Information published a press release for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), an advisory notice on the sale and transfer of mining lands (September 01, 2026, https://dpi.gov.gy/press-release-ggmc-issues-advisory-on-the-sale-and-transfer-of-mining-lands/ )^[1]. This notice followed weeks and months of reports of some kinds of acquisitions of GGMC concessions for exploration and mining of Guyana’s lands, mainly for gold but also for uranium and rare-earth minerals. GGMC referred to the need for sellers to have such transactions authorised ‘under the applicable legal and regulatory framework’ but failed to indicate which sections of the Mining Act 1989 and the numerous Mining Regulations are applicable. GGMC also warned against using irrevocable powers of attorney (POAs) as proof of ownership of lawful tenure.

Selling or partly selling mining concessions has been a normal business practice for decades. What appears internationally to be valid and complete acquisition of mining rights in Guyana may be far from the truth. Prospecting Permits cannot be transferred (Mining Act section 58 (2)). Annually-renewable GGMC Prospecting Permits may continue to be valid after GGMC Mining Permits for gold extraction have been issued and are in operation.

In one case – the Tassawini gold mines inside the fully titled Amerindian Village Lands of the community of Chinese Landing – GGMC has been kept aware of at least some of the series of transactions between concession holder Wayne Vieira and the foreign mining companies.

The Mining Act 1989 is clear about ownership of medium-scale Prospecting Permits (MSPP), under section 57 (2). The Canadian company StrataGold Corporation created its subsidiary StrataGold Guyana Inc. in 2004 and under Mining Act section 57 (2) (c) could take over the MSPP number PL 14/95 previously held in the late 1990s by Wayne Vieira, re-numbered as PL 01/2005. StrataGold Guyana Inc. also acquired the adjacent Prospecting Permits numbered PL 34/2005 Anaturi MSPP in 2005 and PL 01/2011 Koriabo, PL 03/2011 St.Bede’s. Co-ownership of Prospecting Permits is allowed.

While the Mining Act 1989 is clear about the categories of permitted owner of Prospecting Permits, the Act is silent on the permitted ownership of Mining Permits. The FAQs for Land Management on the GGMC website stated in May 2024 that ‘…medium scale property titles [including Mining Permits] …are restricted to Guyanese, however, foreigners have been entering into joint arrangements whereby the two parties jointly develop the property. This is strictly by private contract.’ This FAQ appears to imply that joint ventures are tacitly allowed, provided that a Guyanese citizen appears to be in control, even if no more than a silent partner. However, this hands-off approach by the GGMC does not match the claims of Canadian and Australian mining companies reported in the international Press.

In Tassawini, Wayne Vieira has a long history of selling some rights to foreign companies while allowing local contractors to continue hydraulic mining, all under the pretence that this is State Land. Chinese Landing Village Land has been in Amerindian ownership since it was recognised in the schedule to the revised Amerindian Act 1976; confirmed by the certificate of grant of title in 1991 under the State Lands Act 1972, confirmed again in 2009 and recorded under the Land Registry Act 1959/2003 in 2018. In addition, the GGMC’s own Mineral Property Status online map shows the four Mining Permits Medium Scale (MPMS) embedded in the Chinese Landing Amerindian Village Land (AVL); https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/790ce0003be5464a815be1862ff594d9.^[2]

In spite of this clear and documented legal history, some politicians in successive governments of Guyana and in government agencies have continued to refer incorrectly to Chinese Landing AVL as ‘State Land’. Given this ignorant local approach to land ownership, it is not surprising that the international mining press often treats the Tassawini gold mines as under State Land administration.

Papers held by the Amerindian Village Council at Chinese Landing and reviewed in 2024 show a remarkable history of overseas claims to options for ownership of the GGMC-issued concessions for the Tassawini mines:

StrataGold Guyana Inc. for parent company StrataGold Corporation of Canada, 2004-2011. StrataGold Guyana Inc. was sold to Takara Resources Inc. in 2012.
Takara Resources Inc. sold the Arakaka concession to Alicanto Minerals Ltd. of Australia in 2012 but let the interest in Chinese Landing revert to Wayne Vieira in 2012. Vieira was in court for a mistaken prosecution by GGMC from 2010, finally closed in 2017.
Vieira was negotiating a purchase-option agreement with Marcel Anil Rada and 1092545 BC Ltd. (North Vancouver) of Canada in 2016. This USD 2 million deal was not concluded.
Vieira next negotiated with Aventura Gold Ltd., a provider of mining services rather than a miner, while Aventura was in discussion with Vangold Mining Corporation, another Canadian miner, for a deal valued at USD 4 million in cash and CAN$ 12 million in equity.
By 2018, Chatradharee Mohan had miners on the ground at Tassawini and in 2021 his company Goldeneye Capital claimed to hold the four Tassawini MPMS and was negotiating to sell to Project One Resources, another Canadian company, which changed its name to Alerio Gold Corporation. The deal included a USD 0.5 million cash payment and a 3% net smelter royalty to Goldeneye under an asset purchase agreement.
By November 2021, Alerio Gold claimed to be in full control of Tassawini, confirmed in April 2023, and holding the MPMS which had been renewed to Chatradharee Mohan in June 2023 for five years. Jimmy Reece, Deputy Commissioner for GGMC, stated at the August 2023 ‘fact-finding’ mission to Chinese Landing that GGMC has continued to record Wayne Vieira as owner of the four MPMS, in spite of the continued GGMC errors in permit issue and renewal since 1995; reference my letter in Kiskadee Watch on August 28, 2026, ‘All Guyanese should now support Chinese Landing and advocate for a Judicial Review of Vieira’s mining permits’ (https://kiskadeewatch.com/opinion/letters/all-guyanese-should-now-support-chinese-landing-and-advocate-for-a-judicial-review-of-vieiras-mining-permits/^[3] ).

Clearly, money has been changing hands among Australian and Canadian mining companies, and payments have been made or promised to Wayne Vieira for some of the mineral rights in Tassawini. StrataGold reported that it had paid the renewal fees for the four Mining Permits, apparently on behalf of Vieira. How Mr Chatradharee Mohan of Goldeneye Capital acquired a marketable interest is not clear. What is clear is that, after the departure of the prospector Takara/StrataGold in 2012, the Chinese Landing community has not benefitted from these international transactions, nor has the Guyana Revenue Authority.

Instead of issuing a generalised Advisory on sale and transfer, GGMC should issue a series of simple-language guides to potential sellers and buyers which quote the exact wording from the Mining Act 1989 and Mining Regulations on the eligibility rules for ownership of mining concessions and on the rules for transfers and sales. GRA will then be able to check if the Guyanese owners are paying the relevant income and capital gains taxes.

What do the Amerindian landowners get out of these deals? Little or nothing. What could they get? A lot more than they do now, as soon as GGMC follows its own policies, law and regulations in the issue and renewal of mining concessions. With the exception of one attempt by Minister Pauline Sukhai in 2011, the supervising political Ministers have been grossly negligent, failing to ensure that Amerindian legal rights are respected and that GGMC acts in a legally correct manner.

Editor, the four adjacent Mining Permits Medium Scale at Tassawini total 1,382 hectares (3413 acres), about one-fifth of Chinese Landing’s titled AVL. This account of the many private transactions for Tassawini, involving vast amounts of money, without any benefits accruing to the owners of Tassawini, is not unique. While such trading of mining concessions on State Lands is not prevented by law, Tassawini is within Chinese Landing’s titled AVL since 1976, so the four MPMS, issued in error, should never have been renewed. Elsewhere in Guyana, the customary property of many other Amerindian Villages and Communities is regularly being traded on international stock exchanges, or exchanged locally, without any benefits accruing to the rightful owners.

‘One Guyana’, but only for a select few Guyanese, and their enablers.

Yours faithfully,
Janette Bulkan

References

GGMC Issues Advisory on the Sale and Transfer of Mining Landsdpi.gov.gy ↩
The GGMC Mineral Tenure - ArcGIS StoryMapsstorymaps.arcgis.com ↩
All Guyanese should now support Chinese Landing and ...kiskadeewatch.com ↩

GGMC Issues Advisory on the Sale and Transfer of Mining Lands

dpi.gov.gy, Sep 1, 2026

Press Release: GGMC Issues Advisory on the Sale and Transfer of Mining Lands – Department of Public Information, Guyana Press Release: GGMC Issues Advisory on the Sale and Transfer of Mining Lands September 1, 2026 The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) wishes to advise mining stakeholders, tenure holders, and members of the public that the practice of selling or purporting to sell mining lands granted by the Commission, is seriously engaging the attention of the Commission. Mining lands and related tenures are granted to individuals and entities for the specific purpose of undertaking mining activities as represented in the application process, and in accordance with the applicable laws, regulations, terms and conditions governing the grant of such tenure. Tenure holders are therefore advised against the sale, assignment, or purported transfer of mining lands in circumstances where such transactions are not authorized under the applicable legal and regulatory framework. The GGMC is also discouraging the use of Irrevocable Powers of Attorney (IPOAs) as a means of effecting or facilitating the purported sale, transfer, or acquisition of mining lands. An Irrevocable Power of Attorney, in itself, is not acceptable proof of ownership or lawful tenure of mining property. Persons are therefore urged to exercise caution when entering into arrangements involving mining lands on the basis of such instruments. The GGMC recognizes, however, that there are legitimate opportunities for investors, miners, and other stakeholders to collaborate in the development of mining properties. In this regard, persons who wish to develop or participate in the development of mining properties are encouraged to explore legitimate Joint Venture arrangements and other lawful mechanisms through which parties can collaborate in mining operations and achieve beneficial occupation and productive use of the property. Such arrangements should be properly structured, documented, and submitted to the GGMC for consideration and approval. The GGMC further urges all persons contemplating transactions involving mining lands to seek clarification from the Commission before entering into any agreement or making financial commitments. Persons should not rely solely on private agreements, powers of attorney, receipts, or other instruments as evidence that an individual has the legal right to sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of a mining property. The Commission remains committed to ensuring that mining lands are utilized in accordance with their intended purpose, that the integrity of the mining tenure system is maintained, and that Guyana’s mineral resources are developed in a transparent, responsible, and sustainable manner. The GGMC will continue to monitor this matter and will take such regulatory and other appropriate action as may be necessary to safeguard the integrity of the mining sector and protect persons from entering into unauthorized or irregular transactions involving mining lands. The GGMC therefore reiterates its advisory to all tenure holders: mining lands granted for mining purposes should not be sold or purportedly sold, and Irrevocable Powers of Attorney should not be treated as proof of ownership or lawful tenure. For further information or clarification regarding mining tenures, Joint Venture arrangements, or proposed transactions involving mining properties, persons are encouraged to contact the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. Ministry of Agriculture – Hydrometeorological Service – Instructions to Consultants Ministry of Home Affairs – Invitation for Bids Ministry of Public Service Government Efficiency & Implementation – Invitation for Bids GUYSUCO – We are Hiring

The GGMC Mineral Tenure - ArcGIS StoryMaps

storymaps.arcgis.com, Mar 31, 2022

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Mineral Property Map displays current tenures at the medium scale, i.e. prospecting permits (medium scale), mining permits and special mining permits; and at the large scale - Quarry Licences, Prospecting Licences, Mining Licences, levels that are considered active at the time of production of the map. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide the small-scale mining tenure data at this point. All layers displayed are described below in further detail. ... Amerindian Titled Lands – this layer contains the boundaries of all currently Titled Amerindian Areas. This layer is produced and maintained by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. Mineral properties within Amerindian Titled Lands are granted in accordance with the Amerindian Act 2006. Tenure which existed prior to the issuance of a title may still be reflected in this map story. All Titled Amerindian lands have designated One Km Buffer Zone. ... The data displayed in this map story is available for personal use, in relevant formats including MapInfo files, shapefiles and for GPS upload, from the Land Management Division, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Headquarters at a fee. The data purchased will be the most updated version of the layers presented here (as of the date of purchase). Access to this data is useful particularly to those persons who are consultants for the mining sector, as well as small, medium and large scale prospectors and miners. Other useful information available at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission through the Geological Services and Land Management Divisions include updated Mineral Occurrence data. For more information, email us at commissioner@ggmc.gov.gy or call 592-225-2865 ext 224, 347, 362, 259 or 265

Other references

All Guyanese should now support Chinese Landing and ...

kiskadeewatch.com, Aug 28, 2026

Coastlander goldminer Wayne Vieira once again protests his four GGMC-awarded medium-scale mining permits for Tassawni which is within the titled Amerindian Village Lands (AVL) of Chinese Landing; ‘ Chinese Landing Toshao chooses village watch over emergency meeting with Bharrat’, Kiskadee Watch, 27 August 2026. Well done, Toshao Miller. Indeed, let us look at the Mining Act (1989) and the associated mining policies and Regulations. ... The Amerindian community at Chinese Landing has had titled Amerindian Village Land (AVL) since 1976 (section 19 (2) and Schedule to the Amerindian (Amended) Act (1976)). This title has been further secured by association with the State Lands Act through the Absolute Grant of Title to State Lands in 1991 and by the association with the Land Registry Act through a Certificate of Title in ... 2018. ... The one Prospecting Permit and the four Mining Permits Medium Scale at Tassawini (which is inside Chinese Landing AVL) should never ... been issued by GGMC to Wayne Vieira because – ... Prospecting Permit and the Mining Permits name ‘State Land’, but Chinese Landing is private, titled Amerindian Village Land gazetted since ... protected by section 1 ... of the Mining Act ... the ‘quiet enjoyment’ clause ... indian Village Lands (AVL ... The four Mining Permits at Tassawini (which is inside Chinese Landing AVL) should never have been renewed by GGMC because the permit holder has been consistently in default, section 63 (3) (b) of the Mining Act 1989, where ‘in default’ is as defined in section 1 of the Mining Act 1989. The permit holder has not operated at Tassawini according to the GGMC Mining Regulations or environmental Codes of Practice, as verified by published Press photographs and by video taken by lawyers acting for Chinese Landing in 2021, and by reports from GGMC Mines Officers/ Wardens. The permit holder is also not compliant with the Environmental Protection Act 1996, section 11 and schedule 4 project 9. There is no public record that GGMC carried out due diligence checks before any of the renewals of these Mining Permits. ... the Amerindian Act ... assawini ... - The GGMC did not comply with the Amerindian Act ... 2006, section 53 (i) notification of the Village or (ii) due diligence to satisfy itself that the impact of mining on the Village will not be harmful ... did not comply with ... 8 (engagement ... 49 (having ... with the Village ... Vieira has thus been consistently in default, as defined in the Mining Act 1989, and thus renewal of his Mining Permits should have been refused under section 63 (3) (b) of the Mining Act 1989. Revocation/cancellation by reason of being in default is provided for in section 65 of the Mining Act 1989. ... This catalogue of errors should be sufficient grounds for the Chinese Landing Amerindian Village Council (CL/AVC) to petition in the High Court for a Judicial Review (Act cap. 03:06, 2010) of the actions of the GGMC since 1998, and of the government (Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance/Cabinet) in August 2023 in its Stop Mining order for which there is no legal backing in mining law or regulations. A review leads logically to the revocation and cancellation of the four Mining Permits by GGMC and the lifting of the Stop Mining order which is blocking the Village from mining under Amerindian traditional mining privilege within ... Editor, Chinese Landing has held legal title since 1976. Since 1998 the community of Chinese Landing has been calling on Mr Vieira and his employees and sub-contractors to leave their titled land, to no avail. All Amerindians, indeed all Guyanese, should now support the Chinese Landing community, and advocate for a Judicial Review. The contrast between the hostility directed at Chinese Landing residents by government ministries and agencies versus the welcome mat laid out for Canadian gold and uranium mining companies is a national shame.

Sources

Amerindian property traded with no benefits in Kaieteur News, September 21, 2026
Amerindian property traded with no benefits in Kiskadee Watch, September 20, 2026