WITH interest in health and safety continually growing within the mining sector, more emphasis has to be placed on the way miners execute their operations,according to Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Newell Dennison.Addressing a gathering at the closing ceremony of the GGMC’s one-week first stage training programme, Dennison said: “Miners push the envelope of safety, hence GGMC, by training its officers

and bridging the gap between the technicalities and occupational health and safety, hopes to combat the malpractices within the sector.”

He acknowledged that the GGMC had a horrible year last year in terms of health and safety practices and mining deaths, and said immense work needs to be done in order to fix the problems that perpetually hinder the success of the industry.

If the need arises, Dennison said, the GGMC would move towards providing an incentive to miners who uphold the health and safety laws of the sector.
“Thus, with plans in the pipeline and the vested interest in making installments in the bank of knowledge, we hope to bridge the gap with employees, and further provide for a safer and successful mining sector,” he said.