Mining pit collapses… Renewal of mining licence should be dependent on safety, training

Jul 16, 2016 News

It was mining pit operator Imran Khan (far right) who reportedly told then GGDMA Head Patrick Harding that he did not know of mining pit safety practices

– Major Gen. Joe Singh

The man who oversaw the Commission of Inquiry into the mining pit collapse that killed 18-year-old Reynold Williams, is of the view that the only time an operator should be able to renew his mining licence is after he would have proven he is up to date with best practices and safety.
The advocate for this refresher system is Major General (retired) Joe Singh. According to Maj Gen. Singh, this is important because some mining operators are not aware of Operational Health and Safety guidelines, a dangerous phenomenon that can result in accidents.
“Everyone should be certified and engaged in basic health and safety training annually,” he said, during the course of a recent mining safety seminar. “And this should be linked to the renewal of mining privileges. When you are given a mining (permit or licence), you ensure then the extent to which people are adequately trained.”
The Major General, who once served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), did acknowledge that implementing that system could not happen overnight, but would rather be a process that takes time and resources.
The GGMC sets out requirements for those who are applying for a mining permit or licence.
For a mining permit, the applicant must have items like a map and cartographic description of the area, proof of address and a deposit equivalent to the first year’s rental. This is determined at US$1.00 per acre.
In the case of a company, GGMC sets out that applicants have to post an environmental bond and sign an environmental management agreement.

Major Gen.(R’td) Joe Singh

The Mining Act sets out that the duration of a mining permit is five years and “may, on application be renewed for further periods, not exceeding five years on each occasion or for the life of the deposit of the mineral in respect of which it is granted, whichever is shorter.”
Last year, a mining pit at Mowasi, Potaro collapsed and killed almost a dozen miners and their General Manager. In the aftermath of the mishap, a high level Government team and then Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners’ Association (GGDMA) Patrick Harding had visited the site.
In the wake of the tragedy, Harding had stated that the accident could have been avoided had the proper safety regulations been adhered to. In an interview with this publication, he also spoke of what played out during his visit, as part of the team of officials to Mowasi.
According to him, the operator, Imran Khan, had initially stated that he was not given advice and instructions on the proper safety practices. However, he had described this as unlikely given that it was a large scale operation.
Government had ordered a Commission of Inquiry (COI), which was chaired by Dr. Grantley Walrond, after the accident. It operated from July 1 to July 31, 2015.
The COI revealed that 25 deaths have been recorded in 16 accidents within the past 12 months; 75 per cent of these were due to the collapse of mining pits.
Some of the findings were that the principal cause of pit failure accidents was the neglect of safe mining practices. In addition there was evidence that shortcuts were being taken in an effort to boost production.
It has also been noted in the report that from 2010 to 2015, a total of 62 miners, particularly young men, have died in the industry. The COI also found that there is a laidback culture to safety and as such, clear rules must be applied and enforced.

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