President David Granger was, today, paid a courtesy call at State House by a visiting team of geologists from Chilean technical agency Sernageomin, who are in Guyana to conduct technical geological surveys, and field work to assess the conditions within Guyana’s mining sector. Later in the year, the project will see 12 members from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) visiting Chile to observe the mining operations there. The four member team of geologists included Project Manager, Dr. Juan Pablo Lacassie, Mr. Jaime Barrera, Ms. Laura Mateo Rio and Ms. Mariela Santana.
This visit comes as a result of previous engagements between Guyana and Chile, which began in July last year when President Granger met with President Michelle Bachelet of Chile on the side lines of the Thirty-seventh Regular Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Guyana. Discussed as part of a range of bilateral issues was how Guyana could learn from Spanish State’s sound regulatory framework for the mining sector. President Granger referred to Chile as an ideal partner in this area, given that that country is one of the most successful mining enterprises in the world.
These discussions continued in October, during President David Granger’s first official State visit to Chile. There, Guyana received commitments of support for collaboration in the areas of trade, capacity building in telecommunications, geological mapping in the field of mining and environmental management. With regard to mining, Chile offered to provide technical assistance for geological mapping, which would allow for a scientific determination of the location of mineral wealth deposits in Guyana. Further, Guyana was required by Chile to provide project proposals in the area of Geological and Metallogenic maps and Petrographic Studies.
President Granger has highlighted the need for achieving a healthy balance between the effective management of local renewable resources while preserving our environment. The team’s presence in Guyana and the research they will conduct will, therefore, help to contribute to the overall improvement of the sustainable development of the country’s extractive industries sector. During the meeting, President Granger said, “[We are] looking toward not only the technical means of extracting minerals, but also the regulatory framework, of course [we must consider] the protection of the environment to which both president Bachelet and I are deeply committed.”