A MISSION from Iran is due here soon to follow through on the agreement by that country to deploy its world class geo-scientific techniques to help Guyana accurately map its mineral wealth deposits.

The team is to work with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), President Bharrat Jagdeo announced at a press conference Tuesday when he reported on the outcome of his recent visit to the Middle East.

He identified the support for the mining sector as a high point of his talks in Teheran and said GGMC Head, Mr. William Woolford, is excited about the prospects.

This development is welcome indeed as it opens vast new vistas for the mining sector.

As the President explained, because Iran is in a very active earthquake region, it has developed world class geo sciences labs and uses the same science employed to predict earthquakes to map mineral potential and resources.

Guyana has long lacked this capability and because of the absence of data on its mineral resources, it has relied on investors to seek prospecting licences and then develop a project in a “hit and miss way”, he said.

He said the Iranian mission due here soon will work with the GGMC to advance this project which will result in a much more planned development of the mining sector with greater benefits to the country.

Iran, in addition, will provide Guyana with a US$1.5M grant for the health sector and this also bodes well for Guyanese.

The government has invested heavily over the years in improving facilities and services in the health sector, as it has done in other areas.

While there are some concerns about the delivery of health care, there is no doubt that the quality has vastly improved.

And with support from Iran, Guyana may soon be able to bolster the corps of local specialists in several medical disciplines.

According to President Jagdeo, Iran has significant capacity in health care provision and Guyana is seeking its help to provide teachers for a proposed medical specialist training institution here.

The training of enough specialists here will bolster the some 750 students who have just completed or are continuing studies in medicine in universities abroad, he said.

After training, these doctors will provide an adequate pool of General Medical Practitioners (GMOs) for all the state hospitals in the country and the Iranian support can help fill the gap of specialists in all fields, he said.

The talks in Iran also covered the possible supply of agricultural implements, the President said, noting that Iran is producing Massey Ferguson tractors in Venezuela at very competitive rates.

“…we are hoping we may be able to work out an arrangement where we would receive some of those tractors”, he said.

Some critics often question the benefits of official overseas missions by the President and the results of his recent visit to the Middle East should serve much to address such concerns.