Boost for Development Minerals Industry

The development minerals sector has received another boost from the European Union (EU)-funded Development Minerals Programme with the handover of a Training Reference Resource, produced for the industry.

The training resource document is designed to boost the capacity of the sector to establish growth and build resilience into operations.

There are special sections for risk management and (COVID-19) recovery and resilience.

“This resilience material contains very useful information to help guide responsible, ethical and sound businesses and business practices,” said Principal Director, Minerals Policy Planning and Development Division, in the Ministry of Transport and Mining, Dr. Oral Rainford, at a virtual handover of the document, today (October 5).

Dr. Rainford said the Ministry recommends the training resource to investors in the industry, and that they should fully utilise it for growth.

“The text comes at a most opportune time and is in line with the direction which has been embraced by the Government of Jamaica,” he said.

The African, Caribbean and Pacific group of States (ACP)-EU Development Minerals Programme Phase II, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is designed to foster better livelihoods and gender inclusion for people working along the development minerals value chain in ACP countries, like Jamaica.

Meanwhile, UNDP Resident Representative in Jamaica, Denise E. Antonio, said the organisation is on a mission to “boost the skills in the sector”.

She said an agreement that was signed in 2018 between the UNDP and the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) is enabling growth in the industry.

“I am satisfied that the partnership is building the sector’s capacity to contribute even more to economic growth and job creation,” the UNDP Representative said.

For Head of the JBDC, Valerie Veira, the Programme is helping investors to mainstream their operations, and “this tool is for building the capacity” of the sector.

The intended outcome is increased employment and income for artisanal and small-scale mining enterprises (ASMEs), and, in particular, increased economic opportunities for women participating in ASMEs throughout the development minerals value chain.