The Ministry of Labour, through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), is considering providing training in underground mining for locals, Minister Joseph Hamilton has said.
During an outreach to the mining town of Mahdia this week, the Minister explained that over the years mining companies have considered underground mining but this requires specific skills. Guyanese miners do not possess the training that is needed for the job and this has made it difficult for companies that want to consider the technique to get Guyanese staff for the job.
“They [mining companies] have introduced underground mining and they have difficulty sourcing and retaining staff because this is a new thing to people.
“You have to go down how many metres and spend four hours down there and now, as I see it, the best way to ensure we get employees is to do training on site; so you are training a person to be an underground miner. You’re not bringing them from some other thing they’re doing,” the Minister said.
Persons who work in the mining pits have always been at risk of injuries and even fatal accidents. The Labour Ministry continues to warn employers that caution and safety protocols must be followed. However, mining fatalities continue to be an issue for the Ministry.
In 2021, the mining sector accounted for more than 50 per cent of workplace deaths recorded. This year the number of mining fatalities was reduced significantly but the Minister has said even one fatality is too many.
For this reason, training miners before they are sent into underground mines is of paramount importance. Hamilton noted that this is a new skillset that needs a developed curriculum which will facilitate training for it. The Minister said that his Ministry is considering options to broaden the skillsets of the people of Guyana.
“Those types of new programmes, BIT will fashion with partners.
“There are many more that I might not have even thought about yet that we will have to do because different sectors will come to Guyana.
“Jobs that we never thought about and if indeed we want Guyanese to participate in those jobs, we have to train them to participate in those jobs.”
