–ahead of landmark extractive industries deal
GUYANA’S Natural Resources Ministry and South Africa’s Department of Ministerial Resources are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) later this week, covering five critical areas, in a move that could see South Africa investing in Guyana’s extractive industries sector, and transferring its wealth of expertise to Guyanese.

The two parties agreed to the drafting of the MoU during a high-level meeting between Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources, Godfrey Oliphant and members of his delegation on Monday at the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Main Street Office.

Minister Trotman, who was accompanied by high-ranking officials from his Ministry as well as the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and Guyana Gold Board, highlighted three critical areas in which Guyana could benefit from South Africa, among them the transfer of knowledge and skills.

RICH MINING HISTORY
With South Africa’s rich history in mining gold and diamond, Minister Trotman said there is much Guyana could learn in areas such as underground mining. “South Africa is a very large, complex and exciting place, but it brings experience about how they have overcome the challenges that we are facing, so we hope to expose our staff at the GGMC and the Gold Board, at the policy level, to be able to experience First World training opportunities,” Minister Trotman told reporters minutes after the meeting.

During the course of the meeting, which was open to the media, Minister Trotman made a pitch for South Africa to invest in Guyana’s Extractive Industries, saying that there is room aplenty not only in the extractive sector, but in the budding Oil-and-Gas Industry as well, as there is currently no African nation investing in Guyana’s Extractive Industries. He also called on the South African delegation to lead the way.

“We believe that, financially, South Africa has the wherewithal; and it has experience in mining, gold and diamonds in particular,” he subsequently told reporters. Guyana, he posited, should not only seek to tap into the financial resources and technical expertise from western nations. “It’s important, we think, that we not only look to the west insofar as mining is concerned. Canada, Australia, China… We believe that we can, and should have some African interest mining in Guyana.”

It is also anticipated that coming out of the South African delegation’s five-day visit, the relationship between the Natural Resources Ministry and the Department of Mineral Resources, and the governments, by extension will be strengthened.
“We hope to deepen the exchanges between the two countries at a government-to- government level, and at the institutional level where the counterpart at the GGMC must be able to relate to its counterpart in the South African region or southern Africa,” said an optimistic Minister Trotman.

Deputy Minister Oliphant and his delegation were also brought up to speed on the operations and programmes of the Ministry of Natural Resources, GGMC, the Gold Board, and EITI, in addition to insights into the Gold, Diamond and Bauxite mining here in Guyana.

The South African Deputy Minister said the meeting was in the pipeline for some time, and is pleased to engage his Guyanese counterparts. “South Africa is a very huge mining country, we have been mining in that country for over a hundred and fifty years, we have what it takes; the experience, the knowledge, the skills and we are still going to mine for the next hundred years,” he said.

The South African Deputy Mineral Resources Minister, who without hesitation signaled a willingness to have Guyanese trained in South African, took note of the fact that none of the mining operations are completely owned by the state.
“Last year when we got the invitation, we couldn’t come then, but here we are today to share experiences, also to learn from your beautiful country,” he said.

Both Minister Trotman and the South African Minister agreed that the teams would initiate the drafting of a MoU on Monday and complete it before the end of the visit. Oliphant said such a move was necessary to clearly state the areas of mutual interests, and to guide the process moving forward.

Minister Trotman was accompanied by his Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Joslyn McKenzie, Guyana Gold Board General Manager Eondrene Thompson, and GGMC’s Manager (Geological Services Division) Gordon Nestor among others. During their visit, the delegation is expected to visit some of Guyana’s Gold Mining Operations to engage with both large, medium and small scale miners.

On Monday, the South African delegation was also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe. South Africa’s gold and diamond mining industries have played a critical role to its development, and continue to contribute significantly to South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).