2007, a good year for mineral production – emphasis placed on ensuring sustainable mining practices
Georgetown, GINA, January 13, 2008
A commitment to liberialise telecommunications sector, rapid movement toward renewable energy initiative, increased electricity generation and the promotion of sustainable mining were key highlights of the Office of the Prime Minister for 2007.
Mining
Rehabilitation works on the road linking Matthews Ridge to Arakaka, Port Kaituma and other communities was realized through funding by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). The previous condition of the roadway impeded inter-community travel by residents, farmers and miners.
The year also began with a strong warning by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and the GGMC to miners about breaches in regulation relative to emission of fluids with high turbidity into the waterways or other parts of the environment.
In addition to ensuring that miners comply, international regulations require that mining, forestry and other activities be done in a sustainable manner, mitigating possible negative effects to human, animal or plant life.
Government also recognised the need to provide opportunities for small and medium scale miners and issued lots at Quartzhill, Region Eight to several of them by way of a lottery.
In an effort to raise the standard of professionalism in the mining industry the GGMC offered scholarships in geology engineering at the University of Guyana.
The GGMC also entered into an agreement with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) for multiple uses of hinterland roads. The Memorandum of Understanding was inked to bring amicable solutions to the long standing dispute between miners and forestry operators in relation to access.
A new company, BOSAI of China, began investing in the Linden bauxite industry in February. The new foreign company entered into an acquisition agreement with IAMGOLD, the former investor in the Linden bauxite company and renamed the industry, BOSAI Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (BMGGI).
Prime Minister Hinds and BOSAI's representatives tour old Linden aluminium plant
Efforts were also made during the latter part of the year to revitalize manganese mining and processing in Region One. The Guyana Office for Investment (GO-INVEST) ventured to the region with a team of new investors among which was Essar Steel of India which is interested in reopening the manganese mines
Government in collaboration with the GGMC demonstrated its commitment to supporting communities surrounding mining districts by commissioning two skills training centres for youths at Matthews Ridge and Port Kaituma. Youths can access training in information technology, carpentry, painting, joinery, electrical installation, masonry, graphic designing, sculpting, and welding and auto body repairs.
Mineral production
Figures provided up to the end of November showed that bauxite production was 94.7 percent of the year to date budget while stone output was 353,485 tonnes, exceeding its year to date budget by 31 percent and sand production was 358,243 tonnes .
The Guyana Gold Board (GGB) recorded a production figure of 240,000 ounces of gold, a 16 percent increase over the 2006 production.
Telecommunications
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government in 2007 also fulfilled its commitment to widen participation in the telecommunications sector which saw keen competition between service providers as a result of the advent of Digicel in February.
Digicel’s entry sparked a high level of competition, resulting in a significant increase of cellular subscribers.
Government through the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) instituted additional measures, among which was the enforcement of Per-Second Billing which ensures that consumers pay only for the time spent on the network
Government is continuing discussions with Atlantic Tele-Network, the parent company of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), for the liberalisation of various categories of the monopoly it currently enjoys.
Energy
The Office of the Prime Minister in March launched a loss reduction campaign which targeted the replacement of 25,000 defective meters. This was in an effort to ensure the continued extension of electricity services.
The action followed concerns raised by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) about the need to recover an estimated 30 percent of electricity lost monthly.
The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Company intensified its energy conservation campaign during the year. This was highlighted in December with its “Switch it off – Plug it out” campaign which targets its 136,000 customers
GPL's launch of the energy conservation programme
In keeping with a commitment by President Bharrat Jagdeo to personally ensure that the GPL’s capacity was boosted to provide sufficient power, especially during the Christmas season, five power generating sets, arrived on December 18 from the US to provide 10 megawatts of power.
One of five generating sets which arrived to boost GPL's generating capacity
A number of initiatives were pursued during the year to fulfill the plan for hydro, wind and solar power to serve as alternative sources of energy.
In August, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds attended a PetroCaribe summit in Venezuela where considerations were given to identifying some territories within the Caribbean that will serve as permanent storage and shipping locations. The possibility of constructing gas pipelines that run through Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guyana was also discussed.
Hydropower is at present a major investment under consideration for communities in Region One, and foreign investors have committed to help make this a reality.
Jailing Forest Enterprise from China and Essar Steel from India are two of the major foreign companies in the mining industry which have sought enquiries from Prime Minister Samuel Hinds about the possibilities of developing this alternative source of electricity in the Region.
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A historic year for culture, youth and sport
Georgetown, GINA, January 13, 2008
The year 2007 was a very historic and successful one for the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport as it marked the period when Guyana hosted major activities in the sport and cultural arena that presented it to the rest of the world.
The year began with a resolve to preserve Guyana’s rich heritage and to establish a broad-based programme for youth development.
Culture
The Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) X was launched in October with the theme ‘One Caribbean, One Purpose, Our Culture, Our Life’ and logo unveiled.
Launching of CARIFESTA logo
An estimated 100 cultural events will be showcased in Guyana by more than 35 territories within the Caribbean region during CARIFESTA X from August 22 to 31. It will feature a calendar of events in the visual, literary, performing and culinary arts, community festivals, fashion focus, grand market, and symposia on youth and indigenous people.
Guyana joined the Caribbean and the rest of the world in commemorating the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in the British colonies. The bicentennial event was marked by 12 months of activities with participation of Government and other officials from South America and the Caribbean region.
After years of neglect, the Court of Policy building on Fort Island in the Essequibo River, established by Dutch colonial rulers in the early 18th Century was rehabilitated and is now a heritage museum.
Mashramani
Hundreds of Guyanese adorned with their colourful costumes, and several floats took to the streets of Georgetown on February 23 during Guyana’s 37th Republic Day celebration.
Mashramani held under the theme “A cultural invasion in 2007” was hosted in al the administrative regions for the first time.
Mash revellers
2009 Music festival launched
Musicians both local and international graced an evening of music at the National Cultural Centre on October 17 for the launching of the Guyana Music Festival 2009.
Youth
Early in 2007, representatives from various youth groups, in Guyana met to decide on a plan for development and empowerment.
Entitled the ‘Youth Development and Empowerment Programme’ (YDEP) considerations were given to the creation of opportunities for employment, education and skills training, health, volunteerism or community service, environment, social protection, Information Technology (IT), family, gender and conflict resolution.
In May, the Ministry facilitated a career guidance workshop at the Lusignan Community Centre where scores of youths from various schools in Region Four were guided in career paths.
Youth development was also the central focus at the sixteenth COHSOD meeting on October 10, held under the theme ‘Realising the Potential of Youth and Culture in the Development of the Community’.
Over 140 early school leavers completed the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training (YEST) programme at the Kuru Kuru Training centre equipped with employable skills. The programme’s success is symbolic of another fulfilment of Government’s plan to provide technical and other training opportunities for several of Guyana’s youths, who for various reasons neglected early education.
Computers for students of the Kuru Kuru Training centre
Promoting youth development in 2007 also took into account a $50M rehabilitation project for youths of the New Opportunity Corps at Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast.
Sport
Representatives from all sport associations in Guyana met Minister Anthony in the early part of the year to consult on the establishment of a five-year plan that is intended for the establishment of sport to be used as a platform for national development.
The plan will coincide with a project being piloted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Guyana, Haiti and Paraguay.
Cricket World Cup
Guyana’s intense preparations for Cricket World Cup were given the thumbs up by Venue Development Director of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Don Lockerbie during a final inspection in February.
March 2007 will forever be a red letter day for sports in Guyana as it marked the hosting of Cricket World Cup matches. Guyana came through with shining colours at the much awaited inaugural match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at the landmark Guyana National Stadium at Providence, built at a cost of more than US$125M. It hosted a sold out crowd on April 1 when the West Indies took on Sri Lanka.
Cricket World Cup at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, EBD
On May 7 Guyana was host to the annual West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championships which attracted participants from Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. The championships coincide with the 140th Anniversary of the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA).
Sport is seen as a platform for social cohesion and the Ministry engaged in a series of interactive events using sports to bring people and communities together. The events were successfully hosted in Linden, Blairmont, Mahaicony, Hopetown and Lusignan.
The Ministry also reinvigorated Guyanese interest in chess by establishing a committee that embarked on a campaign to develop the game at various levels, including the school system where it is felt that this can contribute significantly to the development of young minds.
Inter Guiana Games
The second leg of the Inter-Guiana Games kicked off on in October at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with intense competition among youths from Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana with Suriname emerging the overall champion. The games have been a major unifying event among the three adjoining nations
Guyana's delegation at the Inter-Guiana games
The Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the National Sports Commission and the National Cycling Federation successfully hosted a five-stage cycle race that covered 226 square miles.
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