–as curtain comes down on Mining Week with virtual award ceremony

DESPITE not having the usual vibrant celebrations this year for the annual celebration of mining week, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Ministry of Natural Resources still pressed ahead with the week-long activity with a series of virtual events which came to a close on Tuesday with an award ceremony.

Held at the Pegasus Hotel, the ceremony saw several miners being awarded for their contribution to the sector in the last year.
The event, which was held in conformity with strict guidelines and all coronavirus (COVID-19) protocols being observed, saw among those in attendance GGMC Commissioner Mr. Newell Dennison; Minister of Natural Resources Mr. Vickram Bharrat; Department Heads and Representatives of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO), and the National Mining Syndicate (NMS); the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Guyana Gold Board (GGB); and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).

Commissioner Dennison, during his address noted that the GGMC hosted a virtual mining week presentation on its web platform, where a collage showcased previous mining week activities, as well as conference material and technical information on moving forward within the sector.
He also conveyed the importance of providing support for the social and domestic affairs of those mining communities that are occasionally overlooked.

“We want to continue to find ways in which we can assist particularly the youths, who are a part of the mining family, and also those in the mining community who are vulnerable, in order to be more inclusive,” Commissioner Dennison said.

Minister Bharrat, on the other hand, reminded his audience that while Guyana is currently an oil-producing nation, it is mining and the other traditional sectors that kept it going over a number of years.

“Mining plays a significant part in the economy of our country,” Minister Bharrat said, adding: “The Government of Guyana will continue to support the mining sector, and we are committed to ensuring that we work with all the sectors to move our country forward, so that every Guyanese can benefit from these sectors.”

The three categories of awards this year were: ‘Top Gold Producers’; ‘Top Diamond Producer’; and Environmental Stewardship.
The ‘Top Gold Producers’ category saw GGDMA’s Kevin Jeffrey, and newcomer S.A.B. Mining walking away with awards for small and medium-scale gold mining operations, while Chunnilall Babulall took the prize for Top Diamond Producer for the second consecutive year.

Environmental Stewardship Awards were rewarded to the Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc. (GINMIN) for its work in the area of Bauxite mining; Baracarra, for its work in quarrying; Ramlakhan Seenauth (Sand) and Capoey Reservation (Loam).

This year’s activity was held from August 22 – 29 under the theme, ‘Reflecting on the past; innovating for the future: A journey through the archives of mining week.’