— Broomes says code of practice in mining sector must be enforced

IT is not business as usual in the mining sector as the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) are working with stakeholders to ensure that the code of practice for mining is enforced.

Speaking at an engagement with key stakeholders on the publication of the Code of Practice under the Environmental Regulation for Mining held at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday, Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes stressed the need for miners to be au fait with the mining regulations and comply with them.

She noted that the code of practice for mining is unknown to miners across the board. Broomes explained that once published, miners would be called to several training programmes, through which they would be educated about the dos and don’ts of the sector.

“A lot of the small miners don’t even know of the 2005 amendment to the legislation. Miners were never educated or trained — they just came with all the regulations and nobody knows and it is just there in a book,” the minister stated.
Moreover, the minister assured that before the law is enforced, miners must be properly informed of the code of practice. However, after the informative sessions, any breach of the mining regulations will not be tolerated.

“The miners of themselves have called for some level of training,” Broomes stated, while adding that government has committed to ensuring persons are trained in proper mining practices through the new syndicate initiative.

“Once that training is done and you are caught, then ignorance of the law is no excuse. We believe that our people should be educated — we understand what we inherited, so we can’t just come now to say all is bright and beautiful and tomorrow we charge you and send you before the court; that is not the approach,” the Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources assured.

Broomes stressed that it is the responsibility of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to work with miners to ensure they fully understand the code of practice. The draft codes of practice booklet have made the regulations simpler, so that miners are better able to appreciate the provisions of the Mining (Amendment) Regulations 2005. Regulation 248 establishes the need for guidance on how to protect the environment and the wise use of resources to persons involved in the mining sector.

ONGOING TRAINING
“To ensure we get compliance, ongoing training will take place. This is to ensure miners understand and adapt,” said the minister, who believes that the syndicate initiative will allow for a smoother process of implementation of the code of practice.

The syndicate initiative will help for a smoother process of implementation for the code of practice. That aside, the minister called on miners to take seriously Guyana’s position on the green economy and green mining.

She said it is important that Guyanese, particularly miners, understand the importance of the concept and noted that citizens must hold themselves accountable for their actions.
The code of practice for mining was part of an extensive discourse among stakeholders within the sector on Tuesday and according to the minister, the provisions therein must be agreed by all stakeholders.

“This should not be another document that will sit somewhere in the library of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission… it must become enforceable,” she stated, while noting that the days of the “wild, wild west” are gone.

The code of practice was first drafted in the 1990s, but were never finalised and enforced.
Broomes stressed that had the regulations been properly enforced since the legislation took effect, the mining sector would have been in a different place.

“The codes must become something that all operators will use to guide responsible mining practices. The importance cannot be understated,” Broomes added.
The mission of the GGMC is to promote sound mercury management practices within the small and medium-scale gold-mining sector, so as to reduce the impacts the chemical has on workers, communities and the environment.

The code of practice for mining speaks specifically to the use of mercury, tailings management, contingency and emergency response plans, mine effluents, mine reclamation and closure plans, environmental effects checking programme, quarrying, sand and loam mining and the use of small dams for the control of water or tailings.

Commissioner (ag) Newell Dennison and his deputy Dianne McDonald, along with Carlos Todd, Manager, Environmental Division and GGMC’s Legal Adviser Kara Duff Yehudah, made brief presentations before participants, comprising small and medium-scale miners, representatives of the syndicates and GGMC officials.