Broomes says: No conflict of interest serving as Natural Resources Minister
Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources,
Simona Broomes
Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes

NEWLY appointed Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, has dispelled the notion that there is a conflict of interest existing, due to the fact that she is now responsible for overseeing natural resources operations in Guyana, while having a contractual agreement with a mining company. The minister expressed this sentiment on Wednesday at a press conference. Minister Broomes currently has an agreement with the Australian mining company, Troy Resources, which is the parent company of Pharsalus. According to Demerara Waves Online News, a Troy Resources document, as was seen by the news outfit, states that the company has the option of acquiring a 100 percent interest in three medium-scale prospecting permits in keeping with an agreement signed in June, 2012. Broomes owns the three mining properties located in the Issano area.
Demerara Waves also reported that so far, she has been paid US$40,000 on the signing of the agreement, and two more payments of US$40,000 each.
However, the minister is contending that she does not see her appointment to that ministry as a conflict of interest. “I don’t see it as a conflict of interest. I have three mining properties in the Issano area and Pharsalus and I had a contract gone back years, and if they are to mine the area, it is simple, we come back to the table; if I am to get a percentage or if they are going to buy me out, then that is simple. I don’t see any conflict of interest there and that is very straightforward” she said.
Quizzed on whether she had informed the President, who made the appointment, about her involvement in the mining sector, Minister Broomes related that “there is no secret between the President and me.”
However, President Granger earlier in the day had revealed that he was unaware of Broomes’s involvement in the mining sector. “I am not aware of her involvement in Troy Resources. I knew that she has a mining background and we felt that that would be an asset because of what she is likely to be involved in at the Ministry of Natural Resources, which would be the protection of our working people,” the Head of State said.
Reassuring that there isn’t, and would not be any conflict of interest arising, due to the existing circumstances, Senior Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman told reporters at the press conference yesterday that if there are potential areas of conflict of interest due to Broomes’s involvement, he would assume the responsibility of dealing with those issues.
“In the event that there is a perception or perceived or likelihood of a conflict in anything that the minister is dealing with, I will take over and ensure that she is insulated and kept at arm’s length from that,” Trotman said. Minister Broomes is responsible for overseeing Occupational Safety and Health, protection of workers’ rights in the forestry and mining sectors and the compliance with the various laws.

 

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