Local miners welcome Guyana’s partnership with South Africa
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akj93vrAAm0″ width=”100%” height=”315″]
─ collaboration will see development of mining in Guyana
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Guyana has South Africa’s support in a number of areas including mining and education and training.
This commitment came from South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources, Godfrey Oliphant, during a meeting with local mining stakeholders at the Guyana Marriott Hotel early on Wednesday.
“We are looking at what collaboration you would what … what is the type of partnership you want from South Africa so we could let it happen,” stated Deputy Minister Oliphant.
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock with Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources, Godfrey Oliphant and his delegation, along with members of the National Mining Syndicates and the Guyana Women Mining Organization.
He said in terms of policy, both countries are quite strong and stable “however there might be areas where we could learn from each other as well … areas of policy strengthening, policy collaboration is a method that we will continue to work together on.”
The Deputy Minister and his contingent are in Guyana for a one-week exploratory mission in areas of mutual interest for both countries.
Today’s meeting was attended by members of the National Mining Syndicates, the Guyana Women Mining Organisation, and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association.
During the interactive session, the Deputy Minister said he was also impressed with the mining groups and offered insights into South Africa’s mining practices, which he said Guyana may find useful.
“We tireless try to formalise; whether they are cooperatives or junior minors to give then all the regulatory support … we give them support in health and safety as well. Our laws say that big companies must over a period give at least 30 percent ownership to be to the locals,” Deputy Minister stated
Explaining that some of those very persons (locals) eventually become shareholders within those companies.
Deputy Minister Oliphant said the South African government also has an assistance program in place to aid their local miners in establishing their businesses.
The mining meeting was followed by a luncheon with Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock and Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman.
Felecia Valenzuela.
Image: Keno George.