GWMA advances work on mobile app

[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObSUT3UHeE4″ width=”100%” height=”350″]

DPI, Guyana, Friday, August 24, 2018

The Guyana Women Miners Association (GWMA) has advanced its work in developing a mobile app to encourage reporting of mining breaches and crimes.

President of the GWMA, Urica Primus, told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the Association is working in collaboration with Intellect Storm, a local IT based company, to have the app launched in October.

The GWMA is also in the process of establishing a working group to collaborate efforts to ensure the reports made via the app are acted upon, Primus said. The GWMA is in discussion with the Ministries of Natural Resources and Public Security, the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Geology and Mine Commission (GGMC).

“They’ve already pledged their commitment to the execution of the project because at the end of the day it is moving from having one agency working in isolation to actually having a collaborative effort with the common goal of developing the nation,” Primus said.

The app will be rolled out nationwide and non-mining related crimes can also be reported. Primus said the Guyana Police Force is playing a pivotal role in this aspect through the provision of reporting forms that will be used in the app.

Members of the GWMA will monitor the app and coordinate the response efforts with collaborative agencies. The app will be tested before its roll out later this year.

The development of the app is part of a three-pronged project by the GWMA. The project: Fostering Inclusivity and Sustainability in Guyana through Education and Technology was launched in June.

Funding for the project was secured through WWF, International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Dutch Foreign Affairs.

By: Tiffny Rhodius

Images: Anil Seelall