As part of improving infrastructure in mining communities, management of interior roads is returning to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).
Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, has said the GGMC Project Unit will this year be responsible for construction and maintenance of interior roads. She noted that last year the Public Infrastructure Ministry had assumed the responsibility.
She made this disclosure at a press conference held on Thursday in the ministry’s
One of the impassable roads, and deplorable conditions that obtain, in hinterland communities
boardroom at Brickdam Georgetown.
The GGMC will now work in conjunction with the MoPI to ensure miners have access to their lands. Minister Broomes noted that the decision to return management of interior roads to the GGMC is part of efforts to ensure gold declarations meet their 2018 target.
“We’re looking this year at areas that are highly populated with mining. (We want) to examine some of those roads, and even internally (look at) how can we open up some more roads to give access, because we’re looking at the increase in production,” Minister Broomes said.
Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has said the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Guyana Women Miners Association (GWMA), and the mining syndicates have been working with the GGMC and Public Infrastructure Ministry to develop a list of interior roads that need to be upgraded.
“They would put up lists, both in terms of what needs to be repaired and maintained and where perhaps you can open new roads to get to lands that have been allocated, so that production could be increased.”
Two billion dollars were allocated to the GGMC in the 2018 National Budget to be used for construction and maintenance of roads, among other projects.
