The expanding mining sector will have access to training on environmental management and improving the standard of living at mining camps when the second phase of the Guyana Environmental Capacity Development (GENCAPD) project begins next month.
The $600 million project, 83% of which is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will end in December 2010.
Over 95 reports on the first phase of the project were handed over to Prime Minister Samuel Hinds yesterday at Le Meridien Pegasus as the second phase was announced.
GENCAPD 1, was worth $800 million. It began in March 1999 and concluded in December 2005. It was executed by the Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology (CANMET), a Natural Resources Canada Agency.
Hinds told the media that even though Guyana was improving there was still quite a low per capita income and there was a need to have more people working and becoming more productive.
The mining sector employs some 5,000 persons and Hinds said when mining was pursued there should be minimum environmental impact.
Under the GENCAPD project, activities such as rehabilitation of mining sites after mining activities and reducing turbidity will be focused on. There was also need for improved conditions at the mining camps, Hinds said along with the promotion of good health and combatting of problems such as dengue fever and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
CANMET will serve as a technical advisor to the Project Steering Committee, which will include the CIDA programme manager, a representative from the Finance Ministry and ex-officio members representing the Health Ministry, Amerindian Affairs Ministry, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the University of Guyana.
The CIDA Programme Manager has sole and final decision-making authority on all issues relating to CIDA’s contribution to the project.
CANMET will contribute a minimum of $80 million, the Guyana government a maximum of $20 million with $500 million coming from CIDA.
According to the project document, in 2004 the world produced 300-400 tonnes of gold. In 2007 it is expected that 600-800 tonnes will be produced.
Guyana, like other gold producing countries is experiencing a lot of activity in the hinterland and is getting pressure from the gold extractive industry.
Under GENCAPD 1 the mineral and environmental institutions of Guyana built environmental and technical mining capacity to cope with the present unprecedented gold rush.
This second phase of GENCAPD, the document said, will be about improving the health, living and economic conditions of selected private sector miners and members of communities near mining operations in Guyana’s hinterland. In Phase 1, work was done in the main mining areas of the North West, Mazaruni and the Potaro region.
The scope of this project will include: improving water quality and sanitation in and downstream mining sites; implementing measures to decrease infectious diseases near mining areas and providing options to eating mercury-rich diets; educating local community representatives at the technical level about business opportunities and supporting small and medium-scale mining to attain better environmental management practices and greater profitability.
“Phase 11 cannot provide support to all extractive operations or settlements of Guyana but will act as a model project keeping in mind the export potential of all achievements in limited communities and regions to the rest of the country and to other similar issues shared by other countries,” the project document said.
