– Ramon GaskinChairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Clinton Williams, should be relieved ofRamon Gaskinduties immediately by Government in light of recent revelations that he benefitted from mining lands that he helped approve for a close friend, says analyst Ramon Gaskin.Williams, who was appointed Chairman last year January as Head of the regulatory body, has also found himself in trouble in recent weeks after documents detailing his expenses,[url=http://www.cheapestnfljerseys.us@#$%&/]Cheap NFL Jerseys China[/url], indicated that he spent almost $4M at city restaurants over an 18-month period that ended July.With regard to the lands, the Chairman, Clinton Williams, helped approve eight blocks of mining lands to Ivor English, a close friend and neighbour, last year.This year, in early May, days before early elections, he was granted control of those mining lands via an ?Irrevocable Power of Attorney?.Over the weekend,[url=http://www.wholesalesportsjerseys.us@#$%&/]Cheap NFL Jerseys China[/url], GGMC issued a detailed statement defending the $4M spending, saying it was approved by the Board of Directors since last year.With regard to criticisms that Williams? role in the approval of the mining lands to his friend and subsequent control gained via the ?Irrevocable Power of Attorney?, GGMC denied that there was any impropriety.Yesterday, Gaskin, known for speaking out against Government corruption and other questionable policies, was harsh in his criticisms of two situations.?This is totally out of order. I was the Chairman of Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC) and GAIBANK and I never had an expense account. It is improper to spend that kind of money.?Gaskin said he has been following the issues closely and from his information,[url=http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticonline.us@#$%&/white-sox-7-jeff-keppinger-white-cool-base-stitched-mlb-jersey-24-hc.html]Jeff Keppinger White Sox Jersey[/url], no approvals came from Boards for the $4M spending by the Chairman on food and drinks.?The information is there. The Commission paid for the food and drinks and all those who are responsible for those payments should be removed from there. The approvals for those mining lands are tantamount to misconduct?improper conduct.?Gaskin also warned that it would be a shame and indeed unjustifiable, if the new administration seeks to reappoint Williams as Chairman when the life of the Board expires this month-end.Shameless?It is a shameless statement that has been issued by the Board. The Chairman cannot continue to hold on to that position any longer. He must be removed?it is as simple as that.?GGMC?s Chairman, Clinton WilliamsGaskin?s statement would also come as the GGMC? Board seeks to remove Commissioner Rickford Vieira from his post.Vieira was sent on administrative leave last week, with GGMC Board asking Government to terminate his contract.Last week, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) announced that it was boycotting all meetings that Williams would be chairing for GGMC.In its statement over the weekend defending the cases, GGMC argued that the publications by Kaieteur News is evidence it is being used by others with hidden agendas and motives, and opens the entity to legal action for the defamation of character.The regulatory body claimed that the current exposure in the media is as a result of changes being made to the organization from the findings of a review last year.A Commission of Inquiry into a spate of deadly mining accidents had also called for reforms, especially regarding the non-performance by specific functionaries along with serious dereliction of duties and undertaking of practices which deviated from the Mining Laws and Regulations.GGMC said it sent Vieira, the Commissioner, on annual vacation for the month of November and he was scheduled to return to duty on December 2,[url=http://www.cheapjerseysshare.us@#$%&/]Cheap Jerseys From China[/url], last.The Commission claimed that Vieira came back one day earlier and it was he who requested information that somehow made its way into the media.With regard to the mining lands that Williams played a role in approving, GGMC said that its Board, inclusive of the Chairman, is not part of the processing of applications for Mining Permits.Rather,[url=http://www.wholesalesportsjerseys.us@#$%&/]NFL Jerseys Supply[/url], the law requires the applications to be signed by the Commissioner and then submitted to the Chairman to countersign to give legal effect to the document.Not Me?Second, the applications for the Mining Permits were made by Mr. Ivor English in his name in 2014, processed and approved by the relevant Departments and the Commissioner.The Power of Attorney for the lands was done this year and as such, even the notion of ?undue influence? does not hold given the fact that the applications were not made by the Chairman.?For the sake of argument, one may say that the Chairman may have influenced the favourable processing of the applications, but this argument would not hold, since it would imply that any other application can be influenced and the third point below addresses this.?GGMC also insists that it processes applications for mining lands on a ?first come, first serve? basis which negates the exercise of subjectivity. ?The date and time the payment of the application fees and first year rental is paid, is used to determine the ?first come, first serve? eligibility. Therefore, if someone else applied for the said mining lands prior to Mr. Ivor English, then it would have been granted to that applicant.?GGMC also insisted that the laws do not preclude members of the Board from owning mining lands or having interest in mining.?In fact, the Act states that the persons appointed to the Board must have the expertise and capacity in the areas of the functions of the Commission; such functions which deal with mining. More importantly, the Act allows for Board Members to be owners of mining lands or to have such interest given that Section 6 (1) to 6 (4) of the Schedule deals with the issue of Conflict of Interest and how Board Members are expected to act if such situations arise.?GGMC also said that there are numerous members of the Board who currently have vested interests in mining and own mining properties.As it relates to the $4M entertainment expenses, GGMC said that last year, the Board of Directors had approved expense accounts for the Chairman,[url=http://www.cheapchinanfljerseys.us/]Cheap Football Jerseys China[/url], Commissioner and two Deputy Commissioners.?This was deemed necessary for two reasons. First, the senior officers of the Commission often times were engaged in activities/engagements on behalf of the Commission and thus, it was deemed prudent for the Commission to fund these engagements rather than the expenses being borne personally.?These engagements were in the form of dinners and other social events and were for external and internal stakeholders of the sector, inclusive of management of the Commission and not necessarily for personal engagements.?GGMC stressed that it would be placing the senior officers of the Commission in a difficult moral and conflict of interest position, if such engagements were funded by current and potential stakeholders of the Commission.Gold is one of the top earners for the country, playing a critical role in the last seven years or so.However,[url=http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticonline.us@#$%&/wholesale-chicago-white-sox-jersey-china-73-sy/]Chicago White Sox Jerseys[/url], there have been criticisms over monitoring, allocations of mining lands and a number of issues.