Press Release – Objectives of Ministry’s “IN-STEP” initiative materialized
The Ministry of Natural Resources’ collaborative Industrial Skills Training Enhancement Programme (INSTEP) with the GUYSUCO Training Centre- Port Mourant (GTCPM) has continued to see it’s aims being materialized. The programme which exposed participants to 10-hour weekly training programmes in the courses of Basic Motor Vehicle Services and Minor Repairs, Basic Welding and Fabrication, Basic Refrigeration and Basic Electrical Installation ran from June 22- September 8, 2018. With the completion of the succession report by the GTCPM, it is with pleasure that the Ministry notes that the programme’s expected outcomes have been achieved as many of the eighty-six graduates who benefitted from the four skill enhancement courses have become employed while others have proceeded to further their education in various fields. The employment areas include welding and fabrication, construction, mechanics, agriculture, manufacturing and production among others. The partnership, upon its initiation, was intended to build the capacity of former workers from [...]
Press Release – Manari Bypass Road to officially open April 6th
The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure are set to officially open the Manari Bypass in Rupununi Region 9 on Saturday, April 6th, 2019. This comes as the road alignment project has been successfully completed and is deemed ready for official use. Prior to the road project, several accidents and fatalities continued to occur at the Manari Bridge. Consequently, the Government of Guyana gave a commitment to eliminate the dangerous curve approaching this specific area by re-aligning the road, therefore, removing the dangers and preserving human life. The project, costing over $83M was awarded to JR Ranch Inc. which is well known in the region for doing outstanding work. It saw over 20,000 cubic meters of fill material being used to raise the road to a reasonable elevation to mitigate the negative effects of flooding and landslides that are common in the generally flat terrain of [...]
Letter to the Editor – Response to Stabroek News letter to the Editor (3/4/2019)
Dear Editor, An April 3rd, 2019 Stabroek News letter to the editor headlined “Mining in Marudi area remains major problem, gov’t must take action” has come to the attention of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The letter written by Chief Kokoi Tony James A.A contains several imprecisions and relies on an obvious misunderstanding. It highlights an issue of mining in the Marudi area and further states that permission for this mining has been given by the Minister of Natural Resources and claims a disregard of the residents of the village of Aishalton in consultation. These statements are the furthest from the truth. The Ministry kindly wishes to correct these inaccuracies and further reassure readers of the Government of Guyana’s commitment to processes of consultation and adherence of laws. Firstly, contrary to the article the Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Raphael Trotman did not give permission to any miner to conduct [...]
Press Release – Ministry of Natural Resources responds to resurfaced defamatory social media video
The Ministry of Natural Resources notes the resurgence of a social media video which attempts to implicate the Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Raphael Trotman in a mining land bribe scandal. The Ministry wishes to advise the public that since the video’s initial surfacing in 2017, representatives of the Toroparu Syndicate making these spurious and unfounded claims have visited the Ministry and apologized for the slander and trouble caused after it was pointed out from documents made available that the lands in issue were allocated many months before the Syndicate even came into existence and applied for them. The video is now present on the PPP affiliated Facebook page “Live in Guyana” which clearly has an agenda against the Government of Guyana and its agencies and seeks to sway citizens from the virtuous work being done. The Ministry again urges all to not believe the falsehoods being made by this [...]
Press Release – Ministry of Natural Resources responds to defamatory mining lands allegations
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ministry of Natural Resources responds to defamatory mining lands allegations The Ministry of Natural Resources takes note of reports in circulation to the effect that there is the dispossessing and withholding of mining lands for small miners in favour of Syndicates. The Ministry strives to ensure equal access to mining lands, and in fact, has instituted a deliberate policy of righting the imbalance where small miners did not have sufficient access to lands. A recent demonstration of this was the distribution of mining lands via lottery held just Friday last. This exercise will continue across the individual mining districts over a period of three months to ensure pre-qualified citizens are guaranteed a minimum of one mining block each. It is the belief and policy of the Ministry that the nation's patrimony belongs to all of its citizens and should be accessed equally by all. Hence any defamatory allegations [...]
Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Raphael G.C Trotman meets U.S. Ambassador to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana Ms. Sarah-Ann Lynch
The Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Raphael G.C. Trotman today met with the U.S. Ambassador to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, H.E. Sarah-Ann Lynch. The Minister and Ambassador discussed a wide range of issues including, Guyana's development as an oil producing and mining nation, and the constitutional and legal challenges facing the nation. Minister Trotman and Ambassador Lynch also took time to celebrate their alma mater, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, from which they both graduated. As a welcoming gift, Hon. Raphael G.C.Trotman presented the new US Ambassador with a copy of his book 'Parliament in the Republic of Guyana', which he recommended as a source document to understanding current and past political personalities and events.
World Water Day 2019 Message
Message from Hon. Raphael G.C. Trotman, MP on the observance of World Water Day, 2019 Water is life. 2019's awareness-raising observances of this tremendously important resource are being held under the theme "Leave no one behind". We are reminded to be continually cognizant that while 71% of the earth's surface is water only a little more than 1% of this resource is accessible fresh water. Therefore, its management, use and scarcity are matters for daily concern. The United Nations estimates that some 2.1 billion people lack access to safe water in their homes. This year's theme brings into sharp focus the work that is still to be done to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring availability and sustainably managed water [and sanitation] for all by 2030, in the context of growing demand, climate change implications and the myriad of challenges to access for vulnerable groups including children, the poor, the [...]
International Day of Forests 2019 Message
International Day of Forests 2019 – Message by Hon. Raphael G. C. Trotman, MP, Minister of Natural Resources On this day, which is annually observed to bring attention to, and raise awareness of the tremendous service our forests gift humanity, I join the millions worldwide in recommitting to the effective management of this our precious and life-giving forest resource. Forests in Guyana cover more than three quarters of our land mass, and through effective management in recent years, we have seen our low deforestation rates drop to new, commendable lows (0.048% in 2017). This is happening even as the production of gold and minerals is on the increase and speaks to our able stewardship. This year's International Day of Forests theme, Forests and Education; Learn to Love Forests, highlights the need for us to share the knowledge of the value of our forests to every generation and every person, so [...]
Press Release – Ministry of Natural Resources Tony Shields Memorial Essay Competition 2019 Report
Ministry of Natural Resources Tony Shields Memorial Essay Competition 2019 The Ministry of Natural Resources’ Tony Shields Memorial Essay Competition was launched on January 30th, 2019. This initiative was an effort by the Ministry and the mining community, specifically the Guyana Gold and Diamonds Association (GGDMA) to keep ever-green the stellar contribution of the late Tony Shields to the mining sector and the overall development of Guyana, and to more importantly ensure the discourse on our country’s natural resource sector, its importance and paramountcy to our national patrimony is distinct and cascades across all educational levels. Much enthusiasm was evident by students, as we received a total of 41 submissions in the three categories, Primary, Secondary, and University. In the primary category, 11 essays were submitted, while 14 and 16 were received in the secondary and university categories respectively. The categories: The University of Guyana students were invited to make submissions [...]
Ministry of Natural Resources successfully hosts South African Delegation
-Declaration of Intent signed, to further discussions with respective governments -South African delegation impressed with Guyana’s mining operations and nature preservation efforts -Guyana delegation to visit in coming months On the invitation of the Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Raphael G.C Trotman M.P., which followed engagements by Guyana's High Commissioner to South Africa, Dr. Kenrick Hunte, to undertake a working visit, South African Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources Hon. Godfrey Oliphant accompanied by his delegation visited Guyana from February 24th – March 2nd 2019. Deputy Minister Oliphant’s delegation included his Personal Assistant Ms. Kefilwe Chibogo, Head of the Deputy Minister’s Office Mr. Solomon Rasmeni, Assistant Director- Communications Mr. Solomon Phelta and Assistant Director International Coordination Mr. Sibonakaliso Mbatha. The visit in its entirety served as a means for Minister Trotman and Deputy Minister Oliphant to hold bilateral discussions to enable both countries to work closer in the fields of mining [...]
Minister of Natural Resources assures region 10 youth that government is more about action, as mining course is launched
Minister of Natural Resources assures region 10 youth that government is more about action, as mining course is launched The Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Raphael Trotman today assured Region 10 youth that the Government of Guyana is more about action and finding ways of serving and building them, and ensuring they are marketable and ready to serve. Minister Trotman made these remarks at the launching of the Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Incorporated's Mineral Prospecting and Map Reading Level 1 course at the Linden Technical Institute. The course is being conducted in collaboration with Technical and Vocational Education and Training registered National Technical Institutions. Present at the event were Deputy-Mayor of Linden Mr. Wainwright Bethune, Principal of the Linden Technical Institute Ms. Shurla Brotherson, Chairman of the mining school Mr. Audwin Rutherford, Administrator/Coordinator of the mining school Mr. John Applewhite and the Regional Vice Chairman Mr. Elroy Adolph. [...]