Have CoIs been proven beneficial in the mining sector?

Nov 14, 2016 News

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By Abena Rockcliffe-Campbell
Is the government getting value for money from all these Commissions of Inquiry (CoI)? Are there mechanisms in place to measure the productivity of these activities?
There have been a number of CoIs mounted since the APNU+AFC took administrative office. Quite a few inquiries were mounted in the mining industry to investigate all conditions and circumstances that led to the collapse of various mining pits.
In fact while there have been at least two inquires into the collapse of mining pits for this year alone, another is ongoing. This one is being done by Rear Admiral Gary Best.
The COI into the death of Trenton Sebastion had only been completed in March when another was mounted in May of this year.
Derrick Lawrence, Compliance Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources, told Kaieteur News that it is too early to measure the productivity of these inquiries.
“It is really too early to measure but what I can say is that we have developed an action plan.”
Lawrence said that the Ministry of Natural Resources had a very detailed, extensive seminar in July.  He said that the Ministry brought together all the persons who conducted the various inquiries to present a synopsis of their findings.
He said that other “experts” also attended the seminar and “We really drilled down to determine what can be done to prevent these things (mining deaths) in the future.”
Lawrence stated that out of that seminar came an action plan which was presented to the Board of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. “That action plan was approved and has become our play book in terms of how we ensure mining safety.  It is not  something that you can say with 100 percent you can grantee that there would never be an accident  again, but we have a compass and its going to take  some time unfolding to the entire industry.”
Lawrence admitted that there have been at least four inquiries between last year and now and “essentially some of the same points are coming up. The circumstances differ here and there, but mining safety in general has been highlighted as lacking. I think we have captured all the essentials of the recommendations of the COIs and these have been put together.”
Lawrence said that some recommendations have already been implemented and the Ministry has been seeing the benefits.
“Absolutely we are seeing benefits, this year there have been far fewer mining deaths than last year this time.”
There have been about six mining deaths so far this year. Lawrence said that the figure was more than double that number during the same period last year.
Asked if the nation can expect five more COIs before the end of the year if there happens to be five more deaths, Lawrence responded with uncertainty.  He said, “We do not have any jurisdiction over that. His Excellency the President (David Granger) had said that because he wants to ensure that the lives of the miners are seen as being more import than the product itself, he is ordering these inquiries. We follow instructions; if the President wants an inquiry one is mounted.
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman said that his Ministry has been working closely with the GGMC in looking into the many recommendations of the CoIs.
“We have been doing a lot of training, going on the ground, educating miners. We have had six deaths for the year. It is down but not good enough.”
The finding of the Trenton Sebastian inquiry highlighted a “worrying” trend of negligence and recklessness that is being replicated among other medium and small scale mining operations and the grave risks these present to the lives of miners working on properties where safe mining practices are not being adhered to. Some of these include lack of contingency plans for safety and rescue, poorly trained personnel and lack of basic supplies to respond to injuries. The Commission noted that these unsafe practices, which have a ripple effect on families, communities, the sector and the country as a whole can no longer be condoned at any level, and  recommends that measures be put in place immediately to curb these actions.
Last year a COI was set up and mandated to investigate mining deaths after a mining pit at Mowasi, Region 7 collapsed on May 17, killing 10 miners, in what has been described as the worst accident of its kind to date.
That report findings was similar to the findings of Sebastian’s inquiry. The Commission found that the main contributing factor in the pit failure accidents was the neglect of safe mining practices. In addition there was evidence that shortcuts were being taken in an effort to raise production. 119 mine-related deaths have been recorded between 2006 and 2016.

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