Minister of Natural Re-sources and the Environment Robert Persaud has said that the recently-announced Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Incorporated will launch courses in January.
Persaud made this announcement at a workshop convened on Tuesday with representatives from two Canadian universities, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and other local stakeholders from the various extractive industries.
Persaud said the ministry had hoped to start some of the courses by year end, but in the interest of streamlining operations and getting stakeholders involved, a decision was taken to launch several programmes in January 2013, according to a report from the Government Information Agency (GINA).
The ministry and the GGMC are currently working with the College of the North Atlantic and the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland to develop a curriculum that is adaptable to Guyana’s extractive industries. In his presentation, Persaud noted that discussions about the concept of the mining school and training centre have been ongoing over the last few months. According to him, the purpose of the workshop was to get stakeholders’ input and particularly their views about what should be the school’s priority areas, structure and mode of delivery. He was also hopeful that through the mining school, not only would extractive activities be looked at, but also processing and value-added aspects. Other areas that have to be explored, he said, are having some aspects of the courses conducted in the field and the introduction of new technology.
“At the end of the day, we want to lift our game, improve profitability, sustainability and make the sector proud… there are new areas and there is absolutely no reason why we ought not to get it right and do it in a manner that will bring about maximum returns for people,” Persaud said.
He also revealed that in addition to support from Canada, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Energy has also made a personal commitment to support the project. Other partners include the governments of the United States of America, China and Colombia. “These relations give Guyana a good opportunity to learn from the challenges and achievements of those countries,” Persaud said. “…We want Guyana, as we are starting this initiative, to leap-frog… learn from the others, recognise what those mistakes are and see where the gaps are and how we can have those filled,” he added.
‘Most precious resource’
In remarks at the workshop, which was held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Ambassador David Devine acknowledged that the entire extractive sector holds tremendous potential for Guyana’s development. “We are often reminded of the tangible contributions that mining continues to make to Guyana’s economic development. However, to optimise this potential not only requires capital investment and innovative technologies, but also investment in Guyana’s most precious resource – which is human resource,” he said.
Devine pointed out that more than ever in Guyana’s history, it is evident that all stakeholders must play a role in the developmental process and by extension the development of the mining and extractive industries. He also said that as the local mining sector continues its rapid growth and development, it becomes increasingly necessary for the industry to strategically position itself to ensure that partnerships are developed which focus on the unique needs of Guyana’s extractive sector.
“Through training and skills development, Guyanese interested in the extractive sectors will be better positioned to benefit from opportunities that will be created as the extractive sectors in Guyana realise their potential,” he added. This, he explained, will permit the development of the industry through the provision of technical certification and skills development that is needed for job creation.
Few skilled workers
At the workshop, acting GGMC Commissioner Rickford Vieira stressed the importance of education in the extractive industry and building the needed capacity. Vieira noted that new mineral deposits are becoming hard to find and companies are also struggling to add enough skilled workers. There are fewer than 500 skilled workers in Guyana’s mining sector, he said.
In addition, former Commissioner of the GGMC Karen Livan told the workshop that the Guyana Mining School’s two campuses will be located in Linden, Region 10 and Bartica, Region Seven.
Training will not be limited to small and medium scale mining operations, but will also accommodate large scale ventures.
“Importantly, the training offered, which has theoretical and practical components, is responsive to the needs of miners including the need for training in the use of excavators and other heavy-duty machinery, improving mineral recovery, optimising the use of the sluice box, and other processing equipment,” GINA said.
