GUYANA is presently undergoing tremendous transformation with an increase in new and emerging sectors. As such, it is important for the members of the private sector and the business community to become aware of the linkages and opportunities that will present themselves. Industry and Commerce Minister (ag) Irfaan Ali made this pronouncement yesterday while addressing a business luncheon aimed at examining ‘The impacts of Exploitation of Manganese Mining towards Guyana’s Economic Development’ at the Regency Suites Hotel on Hadfield Street.
This event, facilitated by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), featured a presentation by the Chief Operating Officer at Reunion Manganese Inc, Mr. Joachim Bayah, who will spearhead the manganese exploration venture at Matthews Ridge, in Region One (Barima/Waini).
Minister Ali pointed out that there exist today many emerging sectors which hold great potential, and which are “on the road to realizing that potential.”
“We have oil and gas, mining, construction and quarrying, which are all very critical sectors that can generate tremendous economic wealth. In fact, many of the major miners today are looking at opportunities to reinvest monies in Guyana, and we have to find the right investment opportunities to allow them to place their capital in viable and sustainable industries,” he explained.
In an effort to fully benefit from the increased opportunities and interests that these new industries create, Ali underscored the importance of skills training and capacity building.
He said, “Over the last few  months, we had visiting teams from the Middle East, Europe, China,  North America and India, all targeting the mining sector, tourism, and construction. This requires, for us, the development of the necessary skills that will be essential if we are to achieve the full potential of these investments… This is critical.”

Change required
In this regard, Minister Ali noted that, at the organizational level, businesses will now have to expand, modernize and adapt to these new opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, as government seeks to provide the enabling environment and infrastructure.
In addition, there will be the need for companies to change their business and entrepreneurial culture to create linkages among each other, and to collaborate to capitalize on bigger projects, even as ongoing negotiations with Venezuela and Haiti will present opportunities for the manufacturing sector.
Ali also emphasized the need for the strict implementation of standards and regulations to meet international requirements.
He explained as follows: “From the Government’s side, the huge investments, foreign and local, aimed and creating products for the international markets, require more stringent standards and regulations; and we will have to work at advancing these standards to meet international criteria in an effort to guarantee the sectors are sustainable. The opportunities are here, we need to find a way to adapt today for what will occur tomorrow. This is why we need to examine the best practices in the industry, and equip people to do this.”
In closing, the Commerce Minister congratulated the GMSA and Reunion for facilitating the forum, which informs the wider business community of the opportunities that lie ahead.

Natural Resources Exploration
Meanwhile, GMSA President Clinton Williams explained that one of the primary aims of the event was to expose Guyanese entrepreneurs to new developments in the wider world of business, while embarking on an   introspective investigation of possible opportunities based on the exploration of our own natural resources.
He said, “In this context, we shall delve into the field of mineral exploitation, more particularly on the resurgence of the mining and exportation of our manganese resource.”
As to the GMSA’s role in this regard, Mr. Williams reminded that the Minerals sub sector is just one of seven which fall under the Association’s umbrella.
He also expressed gratitude to the Canadian Government for providing support in implementing many of the Associations programmes.
Williams enlightened the gathering on the evolution of the manganese mining industry in Guyana, which began in the 1960s in Matthews Ridge, and which played an important role in the country’s development programme while Guyana was still a British colony.
Of importance, he noted, is the fact that the mining industry in Matthews Ridge was operated by a company out of Ghana, and the Chief Operating Officer at Reunion Manganese Inc, Mr. Joachim Bayah, is also from Ghana.
Mr. Bayah is a well-known mining engineer with over 25 years of hands-on experience in mining, metallurgy and process engineering.
In his presentation, Bayah took the opportunity to give a background on the previous operations at the target site, to identify the challenges and, more importantly, to highlight the many benefits to be derived from the revitalization of this industry.
He explained that the mining operation would be an investment of US$250M along with the establishment of an on-site lab to the tune of US$21M, but assured that the company has all the necessary resources to see the project through.
As to additional benefits to be derived from the resurgence of operations in the area, Bayah pointed out that there will be an increase in employment opportunities, upgrade in infrastructure, along with other auxiliary advantages.
At the same time, Reunion Manganese Inc will seek to ensure that it develops environmentally responsible practices, he emphasized.
Despite the many benefits, he also pointed to the many challenges facing the operations, including lack of skills, bureaucratic delays, and inadequate infrastructure; and advocated for the collaboration of all stakeholders to make the venture a success.
On September 6, 2010, the Reunion Gold Corporation of Quebec, Canada, through reunion Manganese Inc, obtained four prospecting licences from the Government of Guyana, which cover explorations over a wide area in and around the mine, which was abandoned 43 years ago.
The prospecting licences Reunion Manganese obtained from the Guyana Government in September 2010 cover an area of 45,729 acres and centre on the abandoned manganese mine at Matthews Ridge and Pipiani, operated by a subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation from 1962 to 1968.
Exploration activities conducted by Reunion Manganese Inc. since November 2010 consist of 59 trenches totalling 4,700m, and 35 drill holes totalling 2,800m. A total of 42 auger holes have also been completed, to test the tailings from the previous operation.
The former Matthews Ridge mine area consists of a 12-kilometre-long series of hills within the ridge formation hosting the manganese mineralization, and extends for 40 kilometres of strike. The primary manganese zone is reportedly 150 to 175 cm thick and approximately 30 km long in a general NE-SW direction
During a visit to Matthews Ridge on March 23, 2011, President Bharrat Jagdeo viewed the manganese operations and committed that Government will work with the Reunion Manganese Company which was engaged in several development projects in that community.