Walton-Desir: Gold Smuggling Draining National Revenue, Anti-Corruption Agency Needed
By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News
The Forward Guyana Movement’s (FGM) presidential candidate, Amanza Walton-Desir, has warned that gold smuggling is costing Guyana billions in lost revenue and must be urgently addressed.
Speaking on the issue, Walton-Desir pointed to a troubling trend:
“The price of gold tripled and gold declarations suddenly began dropping. That makes no sense. It says that there is clearly a problem there.”
She stressed that her party’s “Contract with Guyana” pledges to be tough on corruption, including the establishment of a dedicated anti-corruption agency. Walton-Desir also proposed the reconstitution of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) to pursue those who have benefited from corrupt practices.
“There has to be, as there was with SARA, an agency responsible for going after persons who would have benefited from the proceeds of corruption and bringing those monies back into our national coffers,” she said.
The FGM leader added that the mismanagement of the current government is evident, citing sharp declines in gold declarations despite higher global gold prices.
According to her, this situation highlights the urgent need for accountability, stronger enforcement mechanisms, and transparency in the mining sector.
