Ministry of Natural Resources and Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) agree on programme of collaboration in 2020.

– Pilot project to reduce mercury use in the Mining Sector to be implemented and review of tax concessions to be undertaken.

December 11, 2019 – A meeting was held on Tuesday December 10, 2019, with the newly elected Chairman, Mr. Andron Alphonso, and members of the Board of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), to discuss areas of collaboration and issues to be addressed in Budget 2020. Hon. Raphael Trotman endorsed a proposal from the newly elected GGDMA President, Mr. Andron Alphonso, for a pilot project that will support Guyana’s efforts towards the phasing out of mercury use in keeping with the country’s commitments in the Minamata Convention.

The project will integrate international recommendations for the reduction of mercury in the sector to test their viability in conditions resembling those encountered by small and medium scale miners at interior locations. Once completed, the findings of the pilot will be made public and used as a basis for further work towards the reduction of mercury use.

Minister Trotman expressed his appreciation to the GGDMA for the initiative taken to address mercury use in the sector and noted that the project proposed can potentially transform the sector by helping miners to better understand and embrace improved techniques that support the use of alternatives to mercury in mining.  As a next step, representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the GGDMA will work expeditiously on a framework that will incorporate the proposal shared.

Additionally, the GGDMA executives thanked Government for the work done to date on hinterland road and bridges, and called for stricter enforcement measures to prevent over-laden trucks from using roads to detriment of all others. Minister Trotman, in turn, agreed, among others, to vigorously pursue initiatives to broaden tax concessions for mining equipment, to extend the current amnesty for payment of fees and penalties and for enhanced security in the hinterland as new threats and challenges emerge.

The two sides ended the meeting expressing satisfaction with its outcomes and look forward to continued engagements that are expected, as well, to include, a follow-up engagement with His Excellency President David Granger.