By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
The Amerindian People’s Association (APA) says it remains firmly committed to supporting the Indigenous village of Chinese Landing in Region One, even as longstanding land titling challenges and gold mining activities continue to threaten the community’s ancestral lands and livelihoods.
Chinese Landing, located along the Barima-Waini corridor, has long struggled to secure complete control over its titled lands. Villagers have repeatedly raised concerns about gold miners operating in the area, often without community consent, and allege that residents have faced intimidation and threats when they object to these activities.
Executive Director of the APA, Jean La Rose, said. At the same time, the association continues to play its role in advocacy and community support, the government must take a far more proactive approach to resolving the issue.
According to La Rose, mining activities on titled Amerindian lands represent a fundamental failure of state responsibility, particularly where the safety, livelihoods, and economic survival of Indigenous communities are concerned. She stressed that threats to community security, the traditional economy, and social well-being must be addressed urgently.
The issue of mining in Chinese Landing was raised again at the 2025 National Toshaos Council Conference, where Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat acknowledged the long-running dispute. It has since been reported that specific applications related to the matter remain pending with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), with officials indicating that further action by the village leadership is required to advance the process.
The dispute dates back more than a decade. In 2010, the GGMC issued a cease-work order against miner Winnifred Vera for mining on Chinese Landing’s lands without community permission, in violation of the Amerindian Act of 2006. However, Vera successfully challenged the order in the High Court, which ruled that the cease-work directive could be issued only for breaches of the Mining Act, not the Amerindian Act. Subsequent appeals upheld that ruling, and the matter eventually reached the Caribbean Court of Justice, which affirmed Vera’s rights under his mining concession.
Despite these legal outcomes, La Rose maintains that the real and lasting impact continues to fall on villagers. She said the disruption caused by mining has affected daily life, education, and economic stability in Chinese Landing, with children and families suffering as traditional livelihoods are undermined.
The APA has pledged to continue applying pressure on state authorities to regularise land titling issues, strengthen protections for Indigenous villages, and ensure that development activities do not come at the expense of Amerindian rights.
