…two former GGMC Commissioners in three-person team

THE Ministry of Natural Resources has commissioned a consultancy which includes two former Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Commissioners to develop a strategic 10-year plan for the mineral sector.

A press release from the Ministry yesterday said that University of Guyana Senior Lecturer, Mr. Sherwood Lowe, along with former Commissioners of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Mr. William Woolford and Ms. Karen Livan have been engaged by the Ministry of Natural Resources to spearhead the process of designing the plan. Mr. Sherwood Lowe has been identified as the Team Leader.

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman on Monday mandated the team to oversee and produce a National Minerals Sector Policy Framework (NMSPF) and a National Minerals Sector Action Plan, with the Action Plan identifying the work activities for the implementation of the Policy Framework. He stressed that the work to be done has to be framed within Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy.

The Ministry envisages that in crafting of the Policy Framework the team will meet with stakeholders in the mining industry, at all stages of the value chain, and would visit outlying areas to garner insights as to what the Guyanese people expect to see in the document. “In addition, the team will be reviewing all existing documents that speak to policy issues within Guyana’s mining sector, and take as a guide, what applies internationally,” the release said.

The Ministry said that Mining is presently the country’s largest export earner and a major contributor to the GDP. “In addition, it creates employment for several thousands of Guyanese in various disciplines, which has created a positive spin-off effect in other sectors of the economy.”

The release said that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, established in 1979, is the regulatory body that has oversight for the mineral sector, and it is one of three entities over which the Minister of Natural Resources has ministerial responsibility. The other two are the Guyana Forestry Commission and the Guyana Gold Board.

“Both the Ministry and the Commission recognise that for sustained success in the implementation of their mandates, they must craft and review policies and developmental plans as standard practices. Equally important, is the engagement of relevant stakeholders in order to promote consensus and cooperation within the sector,” said the Ministry’s release.

It said the team is expected to wrap up its work in seven months and asked for the cooperation of the public and stakeholders by engaging them in meaningful conversations for the betterment of the Guyana’s mining sector.