Matthew's Ridge residents want meeting with manganese company

Matthew’s Ridge residents want meeting with manganese company

Mar 13, 2018 News

Several residents at the meeting

Residents of Matthew’s Ridge Region One (Barima-Waini) are thrilled at the economic prospects the resuscitation of the manganese project will bring to their community, but said they would also be happy to meet with the major players carrying out the project. Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley said that he will facilitate the request.
The chairman was part of a delegation headed by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, which visited several communities in the region.
On Saturday, Minister Bulkan met with residents of the village. One of the concerns raised was their lack of knowledge about what is unfolding in the community, regarding the project, and requested that officials of the Guyana Manganese Incorporated (GMI) meet with them.
The Regional Chairman told residents that the council had recently met with the company and had requested a proposal from it on how the Regional Democratic Council can lend its support. He explained that the council is only interested in the welfare of the residents.
“My concern as Regional Chairman is not to say yes when a company has come into the region… that we want them to work and provide jobs; but it must be something that is sustainable and the people must not be shortchanged.”
The Regional Chairman added: “So, we are going to hold them to their words. At the end of the day, the people are the priority and they must benefit.”
Last week Monday, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman along with the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Cui Jianchun, visited the site to carry out an assessment of the progress that has been made since Guyanese Manganese Incorporated purchased the area from Reunion Manganese Incorporated (RMI) of Canada.
Minister Trotman charged the company to honour its corporate social responsibility and singled out the community hospital for attention in this regard. “We expect you to be a good corporate citizen and to give back,” Minister Trotman said.
When the construction of the plant commences in July later this year, some 550 Guyanese are expected to be employed. Extraction of the manganese is expected to begin in early 2019. The manganese operations were closed decades ago, with concessions sold to the Chinese more than a year ago.

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