Prime Minister Samuel Hinds has challenged miners to operate with the environment in mind as the mining sector moves forward.
At the Pork Knocker’s Day celebration at the Bartica Regatta Pavilion, on Saturday, Hinds told stakeholders in the mining sector to work to change the perception both villagers and coastlanders have of them. “We can do it better, we can all be better off for mining, and for managing our lifestyles,” the Government Information Agency (GINA) quoted Hinds as saying. Hinds, who holds the portfolio for the mining sector, added, “We need to aim to leave places at least no worse than when we came on the scene and we also have to think about (and) protect others around us.”
GINA said celebrations were held at the Bartica Regatta Pavilion in Region Seven. The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) hosted seven days of activities under the theme “Improving Methods, Satisfying Securing Prosperity for the Sector” to mark achievements of the mining sector.
Acting Commissioner at the GGMC William Woolford charged miners to mine responsibly and to keep health and safety in mind as well as demonstrate respect for nearby communities and other miners.
The roster of activities included cooking and batelling competitions, jigging, and camp building and warishi and tacouba crossing races for miners. Other activities included a national mining and quarrying conference, a mining discussion forum and an exhibition at the Guyana Girl Guides Pavilion. GINA said observances for mining week started in the 1990s during which government inaugurated several conferences that focused on the industry’s sustainability involving members of the international community.
