Broomes sweeps aside criticisms of mining sector

…accuses PPP/C of leaving the industry in a mess

Budget debate 2018 was spiced up on Wednesday with the presentation of Junior Natural Resources Minister Simona Broomes, who said her Government has a vision for the extractive industry, accusing the previous Administration of leaving the industry in a mess.

Broomes told the National Assembly that the Government is also working on making the sector more transparent; one that promotes accountability, has a level playing field and does not discriminate against women miners, and one that can someday become free of human trafficking.
Speaking passionately before the House, the activist turned Minister said the coalition Government will also work with all stakeholders in the industry more closely. The aim, according to her, is to also formulate a policy that will guide the extractive sector in future years.
“Mr Speaker, within that framework, one of the things we had inherited was the fact where there was no oneness in the sector. The small miners cried out for bullyisim and all the (isims). But we are in the business of fixing and it is this Government that brought about the syndicates,” Broomes asserted.
The syndicate project was undertaken as a means of making mining lands available to small miners who could not afford a claim on their own. As a syndicate, small miners now have access to the concessions being offered to other mining groups in the sector. In providing an update on this initiative, Broomes said to date there are 13 syndicates, and out of this amount, there are 339 registered members. This means there is employment for 2635 people and based on the number of dredges, some 10,000 plus households are also benefiting.
“It is because of a vision, come 2018, all miners in the sector can look forward to the good life. Mr Speaker, in this year’s budget consultation, the miners came together and we are happy to report that despite dealing with a divided sector… social cohesion is at its best in the extractive sector,” she added.
Speaking about the reduction in Tributor’s Tax for medium and small-scale miners from 20 per cent to 10 per cent effective from January 1, 2018, Broomes said this is another good initiative of Budget 2018.
However, it was the coalition Government that introduced through the Guyana Revenue Authority the imposition of the Tributor’s Tax for persons engaged in the gold or diamond mining industries who are rewarded for their labour under the tribute system which includes drivers and sailors, among others.
The Minister also gave her commitment that Government will continue to place focus on promoting better health and safety standards in the extractive industry and will continue to work towards making all mining operations in Guyana fatality free.
The Natural Resources Ministry, she said, will also embark on the training of miners to improve their mining practices and reduce mining-related fatalities by some 80 per cent.
“On the same day that His Excellency (President David Granger) was sworn in, there was pit cave in where 10 miners lost their lives… that is what this Government is heading to 100 per cent fatality free. We are an ambitious Government,” she said to the applause from her colleagues.
The Minister noted that there are also allocations in the budget to improve the efficiency of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the regulatory agency for the mining agency.
She noted that G$86.1 million has been budgeted for a ‘tail ends’ management project, while G$36 million will go towards the monitoring of water quality in communities in and around mining districts.
Broomes also added that G$140 million will be spent to improve inspection and monitoring by the Mines Division, G$419 million for the Mines Inspectorate Division and G$50 million for the Land Management Division.
“This Government is ensuring that adequate information is at the GGMC that we will be able to improve the mining sector by having information to give to the miners,” the Minister stated.
Minister Broomes used the opportunity on Wednesday to brush aside criticisms of the sector, adding that miners are happy because the Government has listened and reasonably addressed their distresses based on all the initiatives that have been included in Budget 2018.