FEMALE miner Urica Primus has been elected President of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO).
Primus takes over from Ms. Simona Broomes, who had served as President of the GWMO since its formation in 2011.
Broomes had won a name for herself and had placed the GWMO on the international map in 2013 when she was honoured by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as one of the 2013 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes.

Broomes is, since the ascension to office of the APNU+AFC Government, now serving as Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection.
Other women miners elected to serve the GWMO for the next two years are: Donna Charles, Vice-President; Joan Williams, Second Vice President; Marina Charles, Secretary; Marion Shepherd, Assistant Secretary, Allison Butters-Grant, Treasurer; and Ohio Thompson, Assistant Secretary /Treasurer.
Stepping into the shoes of Broomes, Primus, who had served as Vice President, said that the GWMO will continue its crusading work against TIPs and sexual exploitation of young girls and children and incidents of domestic violence, not only in mining areas, but countrywide.
The GWMO also intends to place greater emphasis on training and empowerment of women.
Primus said that many women miners had walked away from the industry in recent months due to the low gold prices.
“The main desire among women at this time is training, which they can use to move on to other areas of income- generation. We have started on this and we will be exploring all other possible avenues which we can utilise to empower them so they can achieve their objectives.”

 
Clifford Stanley