“Guyana now boasts three bauxite mining operations” – Min. Trotman
─ will significantly contribute to the country’s GDP
─ BILLIONS of dollars to local economy within 15 years
─ Govt pleased with work at Bonasika Bauxite Project in Region 3
─ Sand Hills community gets major support
─ 130 local contractors on site, 70 permanent local staff with 10 locals in middle management positions and 5 in senior management position
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, January 10, 2019
Government is, to date, pleased with work done in Region Three by First Bauxite Corporation, the parent company of the Bonasika Bauxite Project.
According to the Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, the company’s stance on safety and security is both impressive and commendable.
“We like the layout… the concerns being placed on safety and on the environment,” says Minister Trotman.
The minister was also quick to point out that Guyana can now boast of three bauxite mining operations, which will significantly contribute to the country’s GDP.
Within the next 15 years, the government will receive approximately US$50M in royalties, mining license fees, employee PAYE taxes, Contractor Withholding Taxes and GINMIN Company Tax, through the Bonasika Bauxite Project.
“We can actually say that we have three bauxite mining operations in Guyana. I think people have grown accustomed to operations in Region 10… There is a brand-new spanking one in Region 3,” Minister Trotman noted.
He was especially impressed with the number of locals working on the Bonasika project.
“Most of all, we are proud of the high local content involved.”
To date, the Bonasika Bauxite Project has employed a total of 130 local contractors on site, 70 permanent local staff with 10 locals in middle management positions and 5 in senior management position. Twenty-five persons have been employed from the Sand Hills community. There are also 8 expat managers on site.
Minister Trotman added this is also a moment of great pride for him, having met the project from its infancy in 2015.
“We hear of the high-quality bauxite here, and that the company has done some preliminary shippings… progress has started, production has started.”
First Bauxite started feasibility work on the Bonasika Project in 2008. In 2015, the company conducted two major production trials. Full-scale production is set for this year.
Accompanying Minister Trotman on Thursday’s site visit was Minister of Business, Dominique Gaskin, Technical Mining Officer, Euliene Watson, incoming Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of First Bauxite Corporation, Bill Rice and Director, Ian Christie and Legal Counsel, Robert Corbin.
Felecia Valenzuela.
Images: Tajpaul Bridgemohan.