The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners’ Association (GGDMA) has accepted the resignation of its President, Fred McWilfred,Cheap Jerseys 2018, and over the weekend blasted the reasons given by the official.GGDMA’s Executive Director, Edward ‘Tony’ Shields, noted that the past six Presidents of the association never had problems with the way it was being handled and it was now curious the reasons McWilfred gave for his action.The Bartician resigned last week saying that he was continuously sidelined, with his position being a ceremonial one.His election to the post in June was highly publicized at a time when the gold and diamond industry in Guyana was nervous about new mining regulations being mulled by government.A main organizer of a one-day shutdown of Bartica, a key mining community, back in January, McWilfred’s popular support from that area was widely seen as heralding in more representation for small and medium scale miners.Last week, McWilfred in his resignation letter to the GGDMA’s Secretary, Terrence Adams, blasted the association which he noted had seemed to be representing only a few selected miners.“Unfortunately that is not the disposition of the present leadership of the GGDMA which is obviously very comfortable with the fa?ade of ‘Industrywide Representation’ while in fact protecting and promoting the interests of a selected few.”Commenting on the resignation of McWilfred, Shields disclosed that the association has accepted it. He pointed out that the entity is “an association” and not a political party and that McWilfred was never in the GGDMA’s executive. Rather, he was “catapulted” to the Presidency of the association.“Mr. McWilfred did an excellent job of mobilizing Bartica,” he noted, with obvious reference to the one-day protest back in January when the community protested a proposed six-months notice mining measure that was proposed.“Mr. McWilfred is also a highly trained political operative who came to the association with certain presumptions,” Shields stated.According to him, McWilfred had been expressing his reservations with the operations of the association, which was run daily by the Executive Director, a position held by Shields.After a management meeting several weeks ago, where McWilfred indicated he may resign after expressing his unhappiness,China NFL Jerseys, Shields stressed that the GGDMA tried several times to contact him with regards to his decision.GGDMA’s executives subsequently decided that McWilfred would be written to, and the correspondence was sent out less than two weeks ago.Kaieteur News had been told that McWilfred had been in the interior where he has a mining operation and only saw an email when he returned.Shields said that he was only aware of McWilfred’s resignation last week when he was called and told that it “had hit the news”.The official disclosed that several past Presidents of the association had called him on the resignation of McWilfred.“These are people who came and gave freely of their time. They did not view it as a ceremonial position. The association is not a political one.”Regarding accusations that the GGDMA was partial and only represented certain miners,NFL Jerseys China Cheap, Shields pointed out that the reality is that almost 80% of declared gold comes from the members of the association.“Whatever representations are made from the association…all (miners) benefit.”McWilfred has said that in the last management meeting of the association that he attended,Cheap NFL Jerseys Stitched, he sought clarification of his role as President since the rules are “very vague”.“The Management Committee, at that meeting, confirmed that it had, prior to my election as President, agreed, and the General Membership had confirmed that the Executive Director was the “…sole executive authority of the association and the only one that was authorized? to speak officially on its? behalf.”McWilfred also claimed that the Management Committee informed him that he was only required to be Chairman of Management Committee meetings, and that for all other matters his involvement in the management of the association was similar to that of all other members of the Committee.“I was further told that my presence was not even necessary for the holding of any meeting of the Association.”Kaieteur News understands that on November 18, McWilfred had attended the GGDMA’s monthly meeting where he stated his objections over what he perceived to be the extensive powers of the Executive Director.He reportedly requested two days to think about his future in the organization.Vice President of the GGDMA, Charles DaSilva, had expressed surprise at the resignation and said that a meeting scheduled for today would probably now be discussing it.Questioned as to the reasons for the resigna