Mining sector needs a long-term plan to aid recovery

Jun 26, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

The Honourable Minister of Natural Resources and a high-level delegation are presently touring mining areas offering aid to the many affected by the floods. For this, we are most grateful. It has also given officials the opportunity to see for themselves the magnitude of the decimation of the mining industry and realise that urgent assistance is needed. The industry has not only been decimated by this flood but also by the COVID-19 outbreak, which commenced over a year ago. Many miners were in the red even before the flood struck and were barely keeping themselves afloat.
Now many of us are asking what’s next? Will our government assist us in our time of need? Or will we be forced to fold up and leave the industry, forfeiting millions in investment? Hopefully, the government, Ministry of Natural Resources and the GGMC have their pulse on the industry and do what’s necessary to keep us distressed miners afloat in our time of real need. Over the last decade, we have carried the economy of the country on our shoulders. We have been the shining light where other major players have found difficulty and faltered. Now it is our turn to be offered incentives and assistance to regain our luster. Though our needs are obviously many, there are some, which are pressing and should be considered urgently: –
1) refinancing of loans which defaulted because of the above-named hardships. Maybe government can intervene on the miners’ behalf? Many miners are presently affected by this. We owe banks, auto dealers, suppliers, etc.; 2) repairing infrastructure. Those who are in the industry know that road infrastructure is key to a profitable mining operation. If we cannot get easy access, then our operational costs soar and there is a lot of downtime and man hours lost. Hopefully, there will be a mass infrastructural repair as soon as the conditions become amenable to such repairs. Government can be proactive and ensure contracts are given out early so that the repairs can commence within the shortest time frame; 3) Waiving fees at GGMC. Many miners were already feeling the squeeze to pay the high rental fees for mining lands, which they were granted by GGMC, who imposed a June 30, 2021, deadline to have all outstanding land rental fees paid. Many were hoping to raise enough money to clear these outstanding fees before the GGMC stipulated deadline. But with the coming of the unprecedented floods and losses incurred, it is now virtually impossible to meet this deadline. Hopefully, the Minister and GGMC management would have seen firsthand (during their aid outreach) how much the flood decimated the industry and can at least ease the woes of those miners by waiving the GGMC imposed deadline.
Individual miners may have other pressing needs but the three highlighted above will resonate throughout the industry. Here’s hoping that the government listens to its miners and do what’s necessary to alleviate some of the hardships and difficulties at this time. Also, please keep us publicly informed of the initiatives to be undertaken to assist us. Remember many of us will be stationed in our mining camps in remote hinterland locations. So access to information may be difficult. Newspaper releases may be the best way to keep us informed.

M. Evan

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