…to expand services to small miners

THE Guyana Gold Board (GGB) on Monday opened an office at Port Kaituma, Region One, in response to a request from small miners for its services in the area.

A press release from the Public Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Natural Resources said that this is the third office opened by the GGB, in keeping with a commitment to make its services more accessible to small miners in remote areas of Guyana.

The Ministry said Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman joined Director of the Board of the GGB, Mr. John Yates, General Manager, Ms. Eondrene Thompson and staff of the GGB in Port Kaituma, at a simple ceremony to celebrate the event.

During his brief remarks, Minister Trotman underscored the value of the new location to facilitating services to small miners and the contribution of small miners to the sector. He also noted that business at the new location will increase revenues to the economy through increased gold declarations over last year’s figures of 635,000 declared ounces. “In 2019, revenue from gold exported was US$112,000,000, which demonstrated once again, the undeniable contribution that mining makes to the economy,” the release said.

The release said that the new office is located in the building that houses the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) at Turn Basin, Port Kaituma, and will provide similar services to those offered in Georgetown including, testing and buying gold. “Since Port Kaituma is a hub for small miners plying their trade in Region One, the office will serve as a central access point of services to persons in the mining community and from surrounding areas. The GGB is also continuing to provide services at its locations in Georgetown and Bartica, as well as through mobile offices in selected areas,” the release said.

“The Ministry of Natural Resources congratulates the Guyana Gold Board for its efforts to expand its services to small miners, in keeping with the overall development of the mining sector in Guyana and the APNU+AFC Government’s policy to ensure that there is an enabling environment for safe and sustainable mining at the large, medium and small scales. Since 2015 to present, the government has welcomed thousands of new miners into the industry, while enhancing efforts to protect the environment, hinterland communities and miners plying their trade. Gold declarations are also at a record high as efforts to stimulate the industry and ensuring greater regulation, are providing positive results,” the release said.