Quartz Stone raid underlines many problems besetting mines commission
Dear Editor,
As a Guyanese and as someone who has been a part of the mining industry for over 20 years I’m deeply saddened by the present state of affairs at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. Long gone are the glory days where the commission was well run by stalwarts such as former commissioner Woolford, Kampta Persaud, Derrick Babb etc. Visionary leaders who always put the health of the commission first, generated revenue and championed the causes of workers creating a safe and adequate work environment.
Based on all reports, at present there is an ineffective leadership structure. Staff members have lost confidence in management’s ability to make the right decisions to the point where nothing really comes as much of a surprise anymore. This is the present state of affairs that is being allowed to flourish at one of our most important national institutions.
At the very top, the commissioner seems very reactive in leadership style. There is always a delayed response to every issue presented and no attempt at taking the bull by the horns. As a result of this, the commissioner is always preoccupied with putting out fires only to have another sprout in a different location. As if this isn’t bad enough, the commissioner is also a graduate of the Neville Chamberlain school of appeasement. This can be an effective strategy when used correctly but in this case it just results in the creation of insubordinate managers and constant internal conflicts.
The deputy commissioner (DC) technical is not effective. There have been many complaints from stakeholders about the time the DC’s office takes to get work done. Together the commissioner and deputy commissioner form a team that is simply incapable of guiding the commission into the future.
The issues only get worse at the managerial level. Recently the former
reported that the cost of food increased 3.7% in September as compared to the same month last year. In May, Cuba’s Commerce Minister Betsy Díaz Velázquez had announced the rationing of chicken, eggs, rice, beans, soap and other basic products owing to shortages. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, which, among other things, monitors food prices on a daily basis, reported that as prices go up more people will find themselves unable to buy even the basics. According to the World Economic Forum, the World Food Programme estimated in 2017 that people in the developing world were spending between 60% and 80% of their household income on food. And yet, hunger persists. The World Health Organisation, in its
report released back in July this year, had noted that up to 2018, an estimated 820 million people did not have enough to eat and that this figure had grown from 811 million in 2017. This is despite several advances made in changing the way farming is done, including the Geological services manager was removed from office and replaced by two subordinates. The many matters are well known and were previously chronicled, these will not be revisited here. This action was badly needed and the board should be commended for making a difficult decision.
On the other hand, this action is simply not enough. There is dire need for much more if the boat is to be steadied. From the looks of things, it appears as though arrogance, pettiness and poor communication skills are the prerequisites to become a manager in today’s GGMC. A person’s ability to lead and mental fortitude should always be taken into account. It puzzles the mind as to why the geo services manager would be removed but the acting mines manager is allowed to hold office.
The recent “bust up” at Quartz Stone where a GGMC operation forcibly dismantled shops and burnt the shopkeeper’s property can only
development of seeds that are flood, drought and disease resistant; greater use of environmentally friendly fertilisers and soil additives; and using hydroponics to grow food, to take climate change and world population growth into consideration. Shortages and higher prices for food continue to negatively impact the moves to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger by 2030. The goal aside, one thing’s for certain and that is the world cannot continue as is. Growing more food is not an option, but a necessity. But even more critical is the inculcating of proper management of what is produced, not only to prevent waste, but also to balance the scales as regards distribution.