Georgetown: The report of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the death of Trenton Sebastian a miner at Mahdia, was Friday handed over to the Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman.
The inquiry was headed by Major General (ret’d) Joseph Singh, who investigated the collapse of the mining pit that killed Sebastian on March 14, 2016. Major General Singh noted that there is a great need for educating miners on the dangers they face in mining.
He added that as a result of the lack of jobs, miners are doing what it takes to make a living. “What we are finding is that in the absence of jobs, and job creation within the area, many people are running high risk” Singh stated.
He explained that in his findings, he found that it matches the findings and recommendations of the Grantly Waldron COI and urged that it is important that the findings of the Grantly Waldron COI be the guide for correct mining practices.
However, Major General (ret’d) Singh highlighted that with most miners being illiterate, giving them documents would prove insufficient. “I have asked in this report that diagrammatic, simple visual aids be created, be available at mines offices that mining officers when doing their visit, they take this around and wherever videos can be used to good effect, that it be done,” he said.
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, collecting the report, expressed sympathy to the family of the deceased. Trotman noted that the government is taking mining accidents very seriously and that no death of a miner will go without being investigated.
“We don’t want any miner’s death to go without a report, an inquiry which lead to a report and more importantly, this report standing alongside the Waldron report will hopefully lead in the shortest possible time to improved mining practices,” Trotman stated.
The Minister explained that despite regulatory compliance visits by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) officers in mining districts, miners continue to practice unsafe methods of mining.
The COI in to Sebastian’s death was completed before its due date.
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