Guyana Goldfields restructures local office, promotes 60 Guyanese

Canadian-owned Guyana Goldfields today announced that it has restructured its Guyana office and promoted 60 Guyanese to key management positions.

As part of the promotions, the company said Jermaine Critchlow, has been appointed Sustainability Manager for Guyana. The role was previously held by an expatriate.

In addition, Miranda LaRose has been named Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainability Coordinator for Guyana. La Rose, a career journalist, recently returned from Trinidad and worked at the Stabroek News as a senior journalist.

Further, Boaz Wade was appointed Exploration Leader, with the company saying the Company has already made considerable advances in the appreciation of the geology and gold mineralization at the Aurora Gold Mine since he took on the position on January 1.

The recently promoted Guyanese nationals are taking on critical positions in management, senior operations leadership, technical, administrative and exploration, the company stated.

The company said Country Manager Violet Smith is leaving the Company, as her position has become redundant.

“In addition to realizing operational efficiencies, the Company expects these changes and the new local leadership will further strengthen its presence in Guyana and its good relationship with the government,” Guyana Goldfields said in a statement.

As part of the restructuring, the Company has reduced its expatriate workforce by 14, representing approximately 30% of the total expatriate staff, it stated.

Total employment post-restructuring consists of 729 Guyanese nationals (representing approximately 96.4% of the overall workforce) and 27 expatriates.

“These transformational changes, which are consistent with our Aurora Gold Mine strategic plan established last summer, will strengthen our presence in Guyana and further enhance our operations,” said Scott Caldwell, President and Chief Executive Officer was quoted as saying.

“These restructuring efforts complement recent initiatives undertaken to strengthen the management team, refocus exploration efforts and advance corporate governance.”

René Marion, Non-Executive Chairman, was quoted as saying the Company remains focused on a continuous improvement process that the Board initiated in the second half of 2018.

The process started on July 30, 2018, with the termination of the Company’s Executive Chairman Patrick Sheridan and the elimination of an ineffective dual reporting structure under which Mr. Sheridan was responsible for government relations and exploration in Guyana,” he stated.

The company said all of its operations, including its office and the Aurora Gold Mines’ activities, will be managed out of a single office in the country.

Recently, the company announced that former US Ambassador Perry Holloway was appointed Senior Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Affairs.

“Mr. Holloway has assumed responsibility for all activities involving government relations in Guyana, as well as corporate social responsibility.

“He will also provide assistance on key in-country management issues as needed,” the company stated.