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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday August 11, 2015
Great expectations for the industrial gold mining sector - Governance Minister Trotman
AFTER visiting the Guyana Gold Fields Incorporated, Aurora Gold Project and the Troy Resources, Karouni Project, both in Region 7, Governance Minister Mr Raphael Trotman, whose portfolio includes Natural Resources, is optimistic about the prospect for industrial gold mining in Guyana. Minister Trotman recently led a team that included Permanent Secretary (Natural Resources) Mr. Joslyn McKenzie; Technical Officer - Mining (Guyana Geology and Mines) Ms. Euilene Watson; Advisor to the Minister of Governance, Mr. Clayton Hall; and other senior officials from the Guyana Geology and Mines Department on a familiarisation tour of the two entities. On completion of the tour, Minister Trotman complimented the management of both companies, and expressed optimism that the future of industrial gold mining in Guyana is full of great potential. The Minister said, “These operations are coming on stream at the right time, and will have a significant impact on the economy…” Both Troy and Guyana Gold Fields have invested heavily in the training and employment of Guyanese workers, and are contributing to development in the Cuyuni- Mazaruni Region. AURORA GOLD PROJECT Minister Trotman and team visited Guyana Gold Fields Aurora Project on August 9. They were met by several high
Tuesday August 11th, 2015 - 14:30 hrs Wednesday August 12th, 2015 - 14:30 hrs Thursday August 13th, 2015 - 14:30 hrs
ranking officials of the company, including Country Manager Ms. Violet Smith, who, along with General Manager Mr. Victor Rozon, presented the minister and team with an operational brief, and conducted a tour of the mine and plant. The plant, already operational, has a capacity to produce 5000 tons of ore per day. Rozon told the team that the mine plan for the Aurora Gold Project was designed to produce 3.29 million ounces of gold, averaging 194,000 ounces per year. The mine is projected to have a 17-year mine life. The Aurora project has a probable reserve of 3.48 million ounces of gold. Already Guyana Gold Fields has invested, as initial capital expenditure, over US$200 million. The company, which currently employs more than 800 Guyanese, has set a September 15 official start date for the Aurora operations. TROY RESOURCES KAROUNI PROJECT In the week prior to the minister and team visiting the Aurora operations, the same team visited Troy Resources, Karouni Project on August 6. At that site, Minister Trotman and his team were greeted by Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Ken Nilsson. The
team was given a comprehensive operational brief and a tour of the facility. Troy Resources announced the results of the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for development of the Karouni project on January 21, 2014. The PEA considered a combination of two open cut and one underground mine feeding a conventional carbon-in-leach gold plant with a nominal capacity of 750,000 tons per annum. Chief Executive Officer Mr. Ken Nilsson said the plant is scheduled to be fully operational by September, and will have an operational capacity of 137 tons per hour. Nilsson said the total cost of the project would be US$100 million. Troy currently has over 500 employees; approximately 96% of the workforce is Guyanese. Troy Resources is projecting that a total of 5.2 million tonnes of material will be processed, with a recovered gold production of 633,000 ounces over a seven-to ten-year mine life. The CEO informed that, with a seven-year mine life, the company projects an annual average gold production of 90,000 ounces, with production in the first 12 months being 102,000 ounces of gold.
One accused in Meadow Brook murder refused bail on attempting to escape charge CLIFTON Gibson of ‘K’ 18997 Perry Street, Tucville Georgetown, one of three men implicated in the murder of Meadow Brook accountant Jason Cort, was yesterday refused bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan on a charge of attempting to escape from the police. When Gibson was read the indictable charge, Prosecutor Deniro Jones requested that the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) be applied, after which the defendant strongly denied the allegation. The court heard that on June 29 last, at Lamaha and Parade Streets Georgetown, while Gibson was in lawful custody and was being escorted to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) pending a murder investigation, he escaped from the police. Police Prosecutor Sergeant Neville Jeffers, in his address to the court, explained that the defendant is currently on remand, along with two others, on the indictable charge of murder. The file is incomplete, he said, as he requested that the case be called for a report on Friday. The magistrate remanded Gibson until August 14, when statements would be available. Gibson, 27-year-old Stancy Rodney of Lot 24 Guyhoc
Park, and 23-year-old Linton Eastman, a miner, also appeared before Magistrate McLennan, but had to be further remanded because the prosecution was not in possession of the file, which still has outstanding statements, explained Sergeant Jeffers. The matter has been transferred before Magistrate Judy Latchman for August 24. The trio first appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan on July 29 and was not required to plead to the indictable charge of murder, which stated that on June 17, at Meadow Brook Gardens, they murdered Jason Cort in the course of committing a robbery at his home. His gold chain, a bracelet worth $500,000, his licensed firearm, an Xbox gaming console and his smartphone were stolen. Guyana Chronicle had reported that 27–year-old Jason Cort of Jamoon Drive, Meadow Brook Gardens was gunned down in his home shortly after he had returned from an outing with his girlfriend. The murder of Cort, an Accountant of the Rubis Gas Station at Providence, EBD, occurred at approximately 22:30 hrs. He was immediately rushed to the Balwant Singh Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Fisherman fined $50,000 for break and enter
FISHERMAN Anil Basil, 40, who confessed to “living on the streets”, was yesterday fined $50,000 by city magistrate Ann McLennan after pleading guilty to breaking into the Albouystown dwelling home of Odessa Williams on August 2, and carting off therefrom a play station, a pot set, a perfume set and shampoo to the total value of $111,000. The Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied by request of Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones, and Basil pleaded guilty as charged. The prosecution’s facts are that, on the day in question, the accused was cleaning Williams’s yard when she discovered
that the said items were missing from her home. When she confronted Basil about the missing articles, he admitted to the offence. The court heard that only the pot set was recovered. In his defence, Basil asked the magistrate if he could work and repay the complainant, and Williams happily agreed. The complainant requested that the defendant be given another chance, because she had already forgiven him; at least he confessed to her. The fisherman was fined $50,000, and the magistrate informed him that failure to pay would result in two months’ imprisonment.