Guyana leads region in occupational standards for mines supervision ─ Mining Week attendees hear

Aug 29, 2019 News

Director of the Council of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Floyd Scott said Guyana has an opportunity to lead the region and set the benchmark in the area of occupational standards for mines supervision.

GGMC Commissioner, Newell Dennison.

TVET Director, Floyd Scott.

Addressing the participants of review workshop of the draft occupational standards for mines supervision yesterday morning, Scott noted that there are no regional standards that speak to the sector in terms of code and practice. As such, Guyana is leading the Caribbean region in this regard.
The review of the occupational standards brought the curtains down on the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Mining Week activities held at the Pegasus Hotel, Kingston Georgetown.
According to Scott, with the right skills, workers can become actors of the economic transformation rather than victims.
“Hence TVET as a transformational vehicle for national development and global competitiveness. It ensures development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs.”
He said the unit ensures the continual improvement of every sector and driving change to lead the region and even exceed global practices. The focus is on training for employment with an emphasis on maintenance on standards quality in the delivery in the occupational safety.
Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Newell Dennison said the day’s engagement was another important stepping stone to the outcomes of improving standards in the way mining is conducted.
“The necessary steps of stakeholder meetings, sensitisations and knowledge sharing cannot be overlooked if the desired outcome will be achieved, where the length and breadth of the mining landscapes fully aligned and responsive to the way every practical measure that standards are promoted and employed,” he told the audience.
The concept, Dennison said is about improvement and benchmarking to what is internationally viable, and sustainably recognised, and where the mining landscape is concerned, especially in the area of health and safety. There should be no stone unturned and that every possible thing be done for those areas in the mining sector.
He noted: “we must recognise that for the mining sector, we can only be engaging these operation issues for the greater good.”