Georgetown: Poor physical, and in some cases non-existent infrastructure, insufficient enforcement of forestry and mining regulations, ineffective security measure and the impending cessation of the use of mercury in gold recovery continue to bedevil the mining sector of Guyana.
Nevertheless, several plans to avert a crisis are currently being implemented by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), with the intention of boosting the sector and increasing gold production.
These projects are going to be implemented under the stewardship of recently installed GGMC Chairman Clinton Williams said this course of action would be taken to catapult the mining sector into the future.
Williams explained that one of the most prevalent issues affecting the mining sector was the intended termination in the use of mercury to extract gold. The announcement had created a stir in the industry.
Miners had objected to the move, citing that mercury was a cheaper way to extract gold, but the GGMC had maintained that mercury is dangerous to human health and the ecology system.
Williams during the interview highlighted that as a part of a $1 billion project, the GGMC would be working with the miners and manufacturers to develop machine prototypes that would render mercury useless in the recovery process, and at the same time be affordable to the miners.
Poor security
Another factor that has severe impacted the mining sector, Williams pointed out was the apparent “ineffective security measures for the protection of mines and prevention of incidents such as trafficking in persons”.
Persons working in the mines are now fearful for their lives, possibly due to the inaction of the Guyana Police Force in the discharge of their mandate in those areas.
“People are getting killed over an ounce of gold, bandits raiding camps when it is time for wash down,” Williams said even though there is Police presence.
He also called for more physical and social infrastructures in mining districts, pointing out that the road from Parika to Goshen is a great project.
“Our mandate, decrees us to among other things, develop the mining sector… this particular road is intended to open up a lot of mining areas… we are doing it on the basis that it will assist in that regard, directly and indirectly,” said Williams.
He pointed out that the GGMC is currently reviewing the design and supervisory tenders that would have been submitted by prospective contractors of the project.
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