Thousands of Guyanese to be trained to work with Canadian mining company

The Labour Ministry, in collaboration with Canadian company G-Mining Ventures (GMIN), is poised to train thousands of Guyanese persons to take up several positions at one of the largest gold mines in Guyana, located in the Oko West area of the Cuyuni-Mazaruni community of Region Seven.
This was revealed by Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton on Tuesday, when he highlighted that, later in the month, the Labour Ministry would, through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), launch a new programme in collaboration with G-Mining Ventures (GMIN) worth US$1.5B. This would see some 1500 Guyanese being trained for the developmental phase.

“We are asked by G-Mining, which is a Canadian company that has bought out gold fields, Reunion rather. So, G-Mining has bought out Reunion Gold Mines. It’s about to establish one of the largest gold mines in Guyana. So, at our facility in Bartica, we will train all the staff that will work at this mining site. I think 1,500 in the first instance. That is for the preparation and development of the mine,” Minister Hamilton disclosed.
According to the minister, the programme is scheduled to start at some time next week, and the focus would be on creating opportunities particularly for residents within the region.
Moreover, Hamilton revealed that after the developmental phase of the project, the BIT would be tasked with training all of the personnel who would work at the site.
“And then, after the development of the mine, I think (in) 2027 or 2026, we will continue to train all the people who will work in this mine, relative to equipment operators, relevant fabricators, electricians, and so forth,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the new US$1.5 billion gold project has a projected mine life of 13 years, and is expected to re-energize Guyana’s mining sector with the production of 350,000 ounces of gold annually.

The project, which would come on stream in 2027, is situated some 95 kilometres southwest of Georgetown and measures approximately 44 square kilometres. In October 2023, the Natural Resources Ministry announced the discovery of gold in Oko West, hinting that the area has the potential for a large-scale gold-producing mine.
Country Manager of G-Mining Ventures, Bjorn Jueue, last November stated that the Oko West project represents a significant milestone in Guyana’s natural resources’ development, and that its operation would alleviate challenges faced in recent years.
Minister Hamilton had, at that time, indicated that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) had been inked between the Guyana Government and G- Mining Ventures to provide locals with the skills needed to support the Oko West project. While the level of training had not been disclosed, Hamilton had indicated that sessions would be administered at the Labour Ministry’s Industrial Training Centre in Bartica, given that most of the beneficiaries would emerge from Region Seven.