Officials of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) say they have introduced new work systems which have considerably reduced the time taken for processing applications for medium scale mining permits.

The agency said that it can deliver these permits between 76 and 106 days as against the 337 to 469 days which obtained last year.

The significant reduction in delivery time came out of a one-year study using modern business improvement methodologies and the services of a Consultant

An official said that the study had been done against the backdrop of increased activities in the medium scale mining sector and complaints about haphazard and uncertain processing of applications for medium scale mining and prospecting permits.

Also against a backdrop of much speculation about favoritism, discrimination and corruption in the processes.

The GGMC said that with the aid of a consultant experienced in ‘Lean Six Sigma’ approaches and methods, a team of staff members studied the processing of applications and found better ways for each step in the processing, thereby reducing the time required without compromising the integrity of the process.

The Statistics Spreadsheet of April 2009 showed that the optimum process time of 76 days was achieved thus giving the customer a 440% reduction in time taken for the grant of a Medium Scale Permit, officials disclosed.

The Lean Six Sigma method was developed by Motorola Corporation, an American Telecommunications Company based in Illinois, as a set of practices designed to improve production processes and eliminate defects.

GGMC said that it has benefited from this highly informed approach in re-organizing the work of its processing unit.