– to serve as a guide for miners
THE Canadian High Commission, with support from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE) and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Wednesday launched a ‘Mining Information Toolkit for Guyana’, a book that will serve as a guide for persons involved in mining to better understand and participate in mining related activities. The book, which also features clarifications on each phase of the mining cycle, contains four pertinent sections. These are mineral exploration, mine development, mine operation, and mine closure.
Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, speaking at the event at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, emphasised that the toolkit will serve as a means to have miners better aware of their rights, as well as regulations which govern their trade, hence reducing the number of complaints that develop as a result of lack of information and guidance.
“We (the ministry) receive most of the complaints from individuals and companies too on mining issues, and sometimes when we get to the bottom of these matters; it is found that there is a lack of information. As such, the toolkit will be very helpful in reducing conflicts that may exist,” he said.
To ensure that the mining trade is not undermined, the ministry has not only collaborated with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to address issues, but has also appointed an Indigenous Affairs Specialist within the GGMC.
Minister Persaud stated that while significant efforts are being made to address shortfalls within the sector, the implementation of the information toolkit will allow activities within the sector to be more transparent.

“I want to commend the Canadian High Commissioner for the work he has been doing in this regard. We fully support this intervention and will certainly build upon its merit to effectively carry out the work of the sector,” he said.
Minister Persaud also made a call for companies to effectively interact with stakeholders at the local level, so as to aid in the creation of a more conducive environment, reducing the number of social issues that may arise from time to time.
“We know that the mining sector has some issues and we need to do something about the image of miners; and I hope that working with companies, we can deal with those, because our ultimate goal is to ensure that mining plays a substantial part in our national economy as it creates thousands of jobs, directly and indirectly,” Minister Persaud said.
Canadian High Commissioner, Mr. David Devine, in his address, lauded the Guyana Government for the support in developing the comprehensive material. He stated that while Guyana and Canada share similar sentiments with respect to the effective development of their natural resources, it is necessary that all measures be taken for communities to better understand the trade, to effectively address various concerns.
“The Mining Information Kit for Aboriginal Communities, which started in Canada, has also been an immensely successful initiative. Communities, stakeholders and companies have all identified the kit as an important tool for successful engagement,” he said.
Mr. Devine said that companies have, over the years, understood that unresolved disputes directly affect businesses through project delays and loss of investment capital, and as such, the information toolkit is an important factor for advancing Guyana’s mining opportunities.
“Most companies are committed to the highest ethical, environmental and social standards; those that lack this commitment can cause harm to communities abroad and undermine the competitive position of other companies,” the High Commissioner said.

As part of an engagement with Guyana, the Government of Canada has committed to the continued promotion of investment opportunities and bilateral trade, so as to boost development in Guyana’s extractive sectors.
To this end, Canada and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment have collaborated with funding partners to identify the feasibility requirements for a mineral mapping study for Guyana. This is expected to significantly increase Guyana’s mineral investment potential.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Nigel Dharamlall, expressed Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai’s approval for the initiative that will significantly enhance the effectiveness of mining communities.
“We value the toolkit as important because it is a means to support community development, especially mining in Amerindian communities. It is a kit that is easily understood and as such, can be useful to anyone,” Dharamlall said.
After the official ceremony, the High Commissioner and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, Joslyn Mackenzie, unveiled the ‘Mining Information Toolkit’.