‘Put the stakeholders first’- Minister of State tells GGMC at 36th anniversary lunch
Minister of State Joseph Harmon addressing the gathering; also in the picture at the head table are: (from left) Mr. Newell Dennison, Chairperson; Mr. Rickford Vieira, Commissioner, GGMC; Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman; and Dr. Grantley Walrond, Former Commissioner, GGMC.
Minister of State Joseph Harmon addressing the gathering; also in the picture at the head table are: (from left) Mr. Newell Dennison, Chairperson; Mr. Rickford Vieira, Commissioner, GGMC; Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman; and Dr. Grantley Walrond, Former Commissioner, GGMC.

THE Hon. Joseph Harmon, Minister of State with responsibility for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), yesterday said that as the agency celebrates its 36th anniversary, it must always put the country and its stakeholders first in its operations.These comments were made even as he promised the organisation new and improved systems, which will be put in place to ensure that the Commission is effectively managed.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon delivering his remarks
Minister of State Joseph Harmon delivering his remarks

Minister Harmon who was at the time speaking to special invitees and staff of the Commission at the anniversary luncheon at the Princess Hotel, said that the GGMC has responsibility for the country’s natural resources and as such, should ensure that every action taken is in the interest of the country and its citizens.

He said President David Granger, during the course of the week, met with the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners’ Association (GGDMA) and several members of the GGMC, and it was revealed that there were many systems in place which were hampering the work and efficiency of the body and the mining sector as a whole.

This, he related, included the increasing number of court matters engaging the GGMC and the non-enforcement of existing laws governing the sector.  “These are matters, which as a nation, we have to address because in the view of many, there are too many injunctions, tied-up injunctions… So the whole system seems to be tied up by injunctions … and this is something we will have to address.”

He disclosed that the Government has given its commitment to ensuring that the GGGMC operates in an environment which “unshackles all of these archaic rules and regulations and injunctions that “tie up” the Commission and make it an ineffective tool of the State.”  The new Administration will be appointing a mining officer who will be responsible for dealing with regulatory issues.

A section of the gathering at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission's 36th Anniversary Luncheon at the Princess Hotel. 
A section of the gathering at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s 36th Anniversary Luncheon at the Princess Hotel. 

“Going to court is wasting a lot of time and we were advised of the provision in the act for a Mining Officer, which is a particular magistrate who is assigned to deal with mining matters… We will explore that possibility to ensure that a particular magistrate is designated for that purpose even if it’s one day or two days a week to deal with mining matters, so that these matters can be cleared up as quickly as possible…”, the minister said.

“We believe that the protection of our natural resources, the national patrimony, is a serious responsibility which we have to exercise as a Commission. It is the intention of the Government to provide the GGMC with the resources necessary to carry out duties in a fair and fearless manner,” Minister Harmon said, to much applause from the audience.

 

 

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