Matthews Ridge residents call for meeting with Manganese Company

Residents of Matthews Ridge in Region One (Barima-Waini) are thrilled at the economic prospects resuscitation of the manganese industry will bring to their community; but are also desirous of meeting with the major players involved in the industry — a request which Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley has said can be facilitated.
The Chairman was part of Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan’s delegation which visited several communities in Region One On Saturday, and met with residents of the village.
One of the concerns residents raised was their lack of knowledge about what is unfolding in the community regarding the project. They requested that officials of the Guyana Manganese Incorporated (GMI) meet with them.
The Regional Chairman told residents that the council had recently met with, and had requested a proposal from, the company on how the RDC 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,” Ashley declared.
“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,” he expressed.
Some of the residents of Matthew’s Ridge at the meeting, with Barima-Waini’s Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley addressing residents in the presence of Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan
Last Monday, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, along with Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jianchun, visited the site to assess 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 construction of the plant commences in July this year, some 550 Guyanese are expected to be employed. Extraction of the manganese is expected to begin in early 2019.