Mining is on the ‘up and up‘

May 28, 2017 News

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– Minister Trotman tells Lindeners

By Enid Joaquin
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, during a community outreach on Wednesday

evening at the Mackenzie High School, told Lindeners that mining is “on the up and up” and that oil production is expected to start by 2020.
This would see a new Commission being established–the Petroleum Commission of Guyana, Trotman said. He added that he would have introduced this Bill in Parliament recently, and that legislation is to be debated and passed to create the Commission which will take over the petroleum department of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). The Minister also outlined areas of development in the other extractive industries, including the gold and mining sector, forestry and bauxite.
In highlighting those, he emphasized the need for land reclamation. Trotman alluded to the old Montgomery mines, where there was no reclamation and where massive erosion has occurred.
This has resulted in the nearby community of Coomacka, becoming flood prone due to the sand and other aggregate that washed into the Demerara River and accumulated over time.

Enthusiastic gathering
Speaking to a very enthusiastic gathering, the Minister, with the aid of a projector, detailed what is expected to happen in the mining sector in the very near future, especially as it relates to the production of oil, and what it could mean for Guyana’s development.
In alluding to the country’s huge oil find, Trotman said that the Liza field holds a minimum of 800 million barrels or possibly as much as 1.4 billion barrels of oil, a discovery which he said is worth upwards of  US$50 billion, which he posited means that things are going to be looking up in Guyana.
“We have been working overtime to bring ourselves into alignment. The preparation is a lot of work and we have started by strengthening our laws.”
Trotman noted that there is a 1986 Petroleum Act, which is outdated, and so at present work is being done to update both the Act and regulations.
He added that in some instances there was no legislation, to deal with the Sovereign Wealth Fund, or no Petroleum Commission in existence, and so new laws had to be created to complete the process of updating the Act (1986 Petroleum Act).
“We are working as well to hire persons to retain consultants and others; that work is ongoing, and I’ve mentioned the Sovereign Wealth Fund that has been drafted, and is now with the Minister of Finance.”
Trotman expressed the hope that the final product will show some new features, and will also provide for budgetary support.

Revenue
He said that it was the aim of his Ministry to focus “much attention” on infrastructural development from the revenue that would be forthcoming from the oil sector.
Highlighting a few of the projects, the Minister pointed to the road from Lethem to Linden, the bridging of the Essequibo at Kurupukari, and the establishment of a port somewhere in the Essequibo River. Trotman also disclosed that it was anticipated that there would be a major hydropower project, perhaps one harbour to supplement the major project.
“We would like to ensure future generations that two or 300 years from now that Guyanese can benefit from this revenue that we don’t try to spend all of it in 20 or 25 years, but we put money into savings so that our children and children’s grandchildren can benefit from what we have now. Oil, like any other natural resource, except of course the forest, is non-renewable.
Social programmes
In highlighting other areas to channel some of the imminent oil revenues Trotman cited the education and health sectors, which would ensure that every boy and girl would have access to the best education and health care in the world. As regards health care, that would be accessible to every Guyanese, young or old, he added.

Environmental Protection
Trotman said there will be established an environmental trust fund through the Environmental Act, which will ensure that a percentage of oil revenues go into a fund every year which would be for the benefit of every Region.
“We are focusing that in as much as we will be extracting, we will be protecting the environment.”
The Minister also spoke of opportunities for jobs and highlighted the need for residents, including the youths, to prepare themselves by acquiring the necessary skills and education to ensure their marketability.
After his presentation, residents were given the opportunity to ask questions. Dexter Copeland who deemed the Minister’s presentation a good one, wanted to know what part of it applied to Lindeners.
He said that after listening to the presentation which spoke about some of our natural resources, he wanted to know ‘where do we fit in?’
He also wanted to know how residents ought to prepare, ‘how to get organized. “As a community we want to know the plans of the mining company so we as citizens can plan around that.’ Copeland also requested that a copy of the programme be made available for possible public perusal.
Other questions concerned workers’ rights and unions for their protection.
Concerns were also raised by environmentalist Samuel Wright who highlighted the current pollution of the local waterways by indiscriminate dumping and the building of houses too close to the Dakouria watershed.
Most of the questions were addressed by the Minister but he promised to get back to those persons on a few issues that he needed to look into, such as the unavailability of certain drugs- especially those for the treatment of eye problems, at the Linden Hospital Complex.
Earlier in the day, Minister Trotman and team had visited a few sand pits along the Soesdyke/Linden highway and the old Montgomery Mines.

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