Mines and Geology Division gets help in training

The Mines and Geology Division of the Ministry of Transport and Mining has commended the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the support it has provided to advance the development of mining in Jamaica.

Speaking at the recent handover ceremony for $9 million in grants through the ACP Development Minerals Programme, Deputy Commissioner of Mines, Stacey Plummer, pointed out that the division has benefited in tangible ways through the engagement.

“The Division has been the recipient of training for our staff and we’ve also received equipment to advance our work. We have established a web map and we are now in the process of doing a fully functional mining cadastre,” she explained.

Mrs. Plummer thanked funders of the project for their focus on the mining industry, especially at this time.

“From the artisan to the quarry operator… your interest in the sustainable development of the sector is heartfelt. As you now provide even more support to individuals and organisations, we are all grateful for the expected positive impact on our economy and the long-term benefits that we all stand to gain,” she said.

The Deputy Commissioner was referencing the grants and their timeliness during an unsettling economic period for the country.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the need for individuals and organisations to pivot in a bid to respond to these unprecedented times and, indeed, an uncertain future,” she noted.

She added that the grants, which had been on offer for the development of the minerals sector, saw the successful applicants, through their proposals, develop a COVID-19 plan that showed what emergency solutions the businesses would seek to implement in response to the impact of the pandemic.

The Deputy Commissioner said the intervention was timely and that as the arm of the Ministry that regulates mining and quarrying activities in Jamaica, it was particularly commendable that several of the awardees were from the minerals industry.

“Our stakeholders, who are mainly quarry operators, have also benefited from many training opportunities as well as opportunities to receive grant funding,” Mrs. Plummer said.

She encouraged them to continue the great work, adding that Jamaica appreciates the support in these difficult times.