Karen Livan, who had been acting as Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has been confirmed in the post as the regulatory body is being reorganized to respond to challenges and opportunities in the natural resources sector.
Former Gold Mining Pollution Abatement Officer of WWF Guianas, Rickford Vieira, and senior official of the GGMC, Kampta Persaud, have been appointed Deputy Commissioners of the GGMC.
A press release from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment stated yesterday that the initial phase of the GGMC’s reorganization got off the ground following discussions with various stakeholders including senior management of the GGMC and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).
“…Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud in accordance with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Act and following consultations with the Guyana Public Service Union and other stakeholders has named a Commissioner and two Deputy Commissioners,” the release said.
The release said the restructuring of GGMC follows earlier announcements by Persaud when he met the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and other stakeholders. It is a move towards ensuring a Commission that is responsive to the challenges and opportunities of the natural resources and environmental sectors within the context of the Low Carbon Development Strategy.
“The reorganisation is also part of government’s commitment to develop a sector to provide opportunities for all Guyanese within a sustainable development framework,” the statement said.
Over the past weeks, various commentators have criticized what they thought were attempts to pass over Livan who had been acting in the position of Commissioner for some time. There were many letters in the press in support of Livan being confirmed in the position.
Livan, a Government of Guyana scholar, graduated in 1975 from Swansea College, University of Wales, UK, with a BSc Honours Degree in Geology. “Since then, she has served at the Geological Surveys and Mines Department, Ministry of Energy and Mines, now the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, as the first female Geologist, now with 36 years of service,” the ministry stated in its release.
Livan served as Geologist, Senior Geologist, Manager, and Geological Services and as Manager Environmental Division, from 1998. “She served as Deputy Commissioner acting from 1992 to 1994 and as Commissioner acting from April 1, 2011, upon the retirement of former Commissioner, William Woolford.
Livan has worked integrally with the conceptualization and/or implementation of the landmark CIDA sponsored Guyana Environmental Capacity Development (GENCAPD) Project, phases 1 and 2. Under Phase 1, she was one of the authors of the book Environmental Management in Small Scale Mining. The minister said that under her tenure as environmental manager, the first demonstration mine site reclamation projects were implemented at the Kara Kara mined out bauxite mine in collaboration with NARI, at Noitgedachtand St. Elizabeth near Mahdia by GGMC and the CIDA-GENCAPD Project, respectively.
Vieira, the ministry said, has a Masters of Engineering, (Mining Engineering) 1997, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada and a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining Engineering), 1994, University of Guyana, Pass with Credit.
“He is an engineer with extensive experience in project management, production management, field exploration, site rehabilitation, environmental impact assessment, environmental management plans, environmental monitoring, closure and decommissioning plans, feasibility studies, mineral inventory estimation, mineral processing plant design, rehabilitation and re-vegetation of mined out lands, mine plans and training instructor for mining and environmental studies,” the release said.
It said that Vieira worked at WWF Guianas from 2004-2011 as the Regional Gold Mining Pollution Abatement Officer with responsibilities for conservation activities for the small scale gold mining sector in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
He worked in various capacities at GGMC from 1984 to 2002 when resigned as Senior Mineral Processing Engineer 11 and with the Environmental Management Consultants from 2005-2011 as a mining environmental specialist. He was also an independent environmental consultant for several mining projects in Guyana and Suriname and lectured part-time at the University of Guyana in the Department of Mining.
“He has several publications in scientific journals including the Journal of Cleaner Production, the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, and the Health, Safety and Environmental Quarterly. He participated in several mining conventions on mercury for the UNEP and EEB in Sweden, Switzerland, Kenya, Belgium, Thailand, Philippines, USA and in Brazil,” the release said.
Persaud commenced working with the Geological Survey and Mines Dept (the precursor of the GGMC) on July 1, 1972 as a cadet (geologist trainee) after completing his ‘A’ levels at Queen’s College. “He then proceeded to Queen Mary College, University of London, under a government conditional scholarship, where he obtained an Honours Degree in Geology in July 1976 then assumed the position of Geologist in July 1976…,” the ministry said.
In 1980, he was promoted to Senior Geologist and in 1987 acting Manager, Geological Services Division. He was confirmed in this position in 1997. The release said Persaud undertook several geological projects during that time in gold, kaolin, diamond and uranium exploration in Guyana.
He also attended several professional development training courses in Canada, Brazil, France and China and represented the GGMC at several international investment conferences. Also, he has developed particular expertise in diamonds and mineral property management, the ministry said.
