Women miners to attend international trade show

Feb 14, 2012 News

Six members of the newly established Guyana Women Miners Organization are

Members of Guyana Women Miners Organization and Mr. David Devine, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana

expected to attend the largest mining trade show in the world this March.
The show, to be hosted by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, will be held in Toronto from March 2 to March 9.
This is according to the organization’s President, Simone Broomes, who stated that a Canadian company, through the Canadian High Commission in Guyana, has provided sponsorship for the women.
She noted that the women would be interacting with other operators in the world’s mineral industry, including representatives of the Canadian Women in Mining.
Broomes said that the group is anxious to interact with other women interested in mining to exchange mining techniques and ideas.
At the event, the women would also attend several workshops with a focus on safety, health, communications, understanding investment, and prospecting courses, she said.
Broomes said that the women are looking forward to the investment workshop since they are interested in merging with large organizations.
She added that when the group returns to Guyana information gathered at the trade show would be compiled and disseminated to women while conducting sensitization workshops.
Broomes related that the Canadian High Commission in Guyana has been extremely supportive. She related that owing to the High Commission miners, particularly women, would be equipped with skills relevant to the industry.
At the recent launching of the Guyana Women Miners Organization, Mr. David Devine, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, had stated that the Association of Canadian Community Colleges and Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training received approval to execute a project intended to provide a certificate programme in the skills necessary for Guyana’s mining industry.
Devine had stated the programme seeks to provide training for jobs in the sector and promotes gender equality. He explained many times the challenges faced when assisting women in mining communities to improve their quality of life are underestimated.
“Achieving women economic empowerment in the mining sector would require long term commitment. It will take sound public policies and holistic long term approaches from all stakeholders in the mining industry,” Devine had said.
He had stressed that the mining industry holds tremendous potential for Guyana’s development but to optimize this potential it requires a fusion of capital investment, innovative technologies, and adequate human resource capacity.
He had noted globally women in the extractive sector are being even more vital. Women are skilled dredge operators, geologists and accountants, and many other key areas in the mining industry.