Clinton Williams is new GGMC Chairman

Jan 21, 2014 News

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-Vieira confirmed as Commissioner

Prominent city executive, Clinton Williams, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

Rickford Vieira was also confirmed as Commissioner for that mining regulatory body, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment announced yesterday.
The appointment of Williams and confirmation of Vieira were done in accordance with the GGMC Act, said Minister Robert Persaud.
The moves were made at a time when the mining sector, one of the fastest growing locally, has been worrying operators and the administration alike.
The mining sector has been raking in billions in revenue, especially from the gold mines as world prices reached record levels of US$1,900 per ounce last year.
However, the world prices had begun to slide, reaching almost US$1,100. The price has started to climb again.
Operators have been urging Government to reduce its fuel tax and even consider waiving duties on pickups as some of the measures to ease the industry.
Minister Persaud made it clear that the appointments are expected to improve the efficiency and organizational functioning of the Commission.
The Minister also pointed out that there will be a continuous review of the operations of the organization, and other critical appointments will be made shortly.
Williams is the Chief Executive Officer/Director of Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated, having been with the company since the time of privatization in 1995.  Prior to that, he served the previous company; Guyana National Engineering Corporation in various senior executive roles including its Executive Director, Planning and Marketing; Divisional Manager, Planning and Development and Industrial Engineer.
He is an Industrial Engineer and holds both first and second degrees in Mechanical/Industrial Engineering.  He is a member of a number of International Professional Associations in the Shipping and Engineering fraternity and has completed a number of publications, research projects and reports in this capacity, inclusive of a Strategic Plan for the Shipping Association of Guyana in response to the CIDA Caribbean Regional HRD Programme for Economic Competitiveness (CPEC) Program.
He has also completed a number of consultancy assignments for a wide range of industries in Guyana and the wider Caribbean, including shipping, engineering and manufacturing sectors.  According to the Ministry, the executive has a Post Graduate Certification in Project Management and vast experience in Comparative Management Systems, Energy Conservation, Project Evaluation and Preparation, Strategic Port Pricing and Private Sector Partnerships for SME Development.

He previously served as President of the Shipping Association of Guyana, Chairman of the Guyana/China Business Council, President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association Limited, Sub Sector Chairman, Energy Power and Skills Development, Private Sector Commission, Chairman of The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Chairman, Board of Industrial Training and Chairman of the Board of Guyana Forestry Commission.
Williams was a member of the team of experts which formulated the National Development Strategy for Guyana, particularly in relation to the strategies for the Transportation and Manufacturing and Engineering Sectors.
Meanwhile, the Ministry said, Vieira is qualified with 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 planning, 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.”
He worked at WWF Guianas from 2004-2011 as the Regional Coordinator, Gold Mining Pollution Abatement Coordinator with responsibilities for conservation activities for the small scale gold mining sector in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
In addition, he functioned in various capacities at GGMC from 1984 to 2002, then resigned as Senior Mineral Processing Engineer 11 after which he worked with Environmental Management Consultants from 2005-2011 as a Mining Environmental Specialist. Mr. “Vieira 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.
Prior to Vieira’s confirmation as Commissioner, he was Deputy Commissioner for the period January 2012 to October 2012 and was later appointed Commissioner (ag) in November 2012 until his confirmation to the post of Commissioner.
Minister Persaud said he remains optimistic that these appointments will continue to build on the record breaking declaration of 481 and 102 for 2013, surpassing the previous highest level of 455, 918 ounces in 2001; which included the declarations of both Omai and small scale operators.

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