Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana Riding on the Crest of Truth
Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:00 by GxMedia
GGMC Commissioner, Rickford Vieria
Persaud in accordance with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s Act appointed a new Chairman of the GGMC’s Board of Directors. He also confirmed the acting Commissioner of the GGMC.
Minister Persaud has stated that the appointments are expected to improve the efficiency and organizational functioning of the Commission. These new appointments, he said, will address the challenges that are facing the mining sector towards enhancing its operation.
The Natural Resources and the Environment Minister also pointed out that there will be a continuous review of the operation of the organization and other critical appointments will be made shortly.
Mr. Clinton Williams is the Chief Executive Officer/Director of Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated having been with the company since the time of Privatization in 1995. Prior to that, he served the previous company Guyana National Engineering Corporation in various Senior Executive roles i.e Executive Director, Planning and Marketing; Divisional Manager, Planning and Development; Industrial Engineer, etc.
Mr. Williams is an Industrial Engineer and holds both First and Second Degrees in mechanical/Industrial Engineering. He is a Member of a number of International Professional Associations in the Shipping and Engineering fraternity and has completed a number of Publications, Research Projects and Reports in this capacity, inclusive of a Strategic Plan for the Shipping Association of Guyana in response to the CIDA Caribbean Regional HRD Programme for Economic Competitiveness (CPEC) Program.
He has also completed a number of consultancy assignments for a wide range of industries in Guyana and the wider Caribbean, including the Shipping, Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors. He has a Post Graduate Certification in Project Management and vast experience in Comparative Management Systems, Energy Conservation, Project Evaluation and Preparation, Strategic Port Pricing, Private Sector Partnerships for SME Development, etc. Regional Consultancy Evaluation Assignments for Ernst and Young Caribbean Entrepreneur of the Year Award Scheme, Caricom Fast Ferry Project, etc.
He previously served as President and now the Trustee of the Shipping Association of Guyana, Chairman of the Guyana/China Business Council, President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association Limited, Sub Sector Chairman, Energy Power and Skills Development, Private Sector Commission, Chairman of The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Chairman, Board of Industrial Training and Chairman of the Board of Guyana Forestry Commission.
A Professional Engineer, Clinton Williams was a member of the team of experts which formulated the National Development Strategy for Guyana, particularly in relation to the strategies for the Transportation and Manufacturing and Engineering Sectors.
Mr. Vieira is qualified with a Masters of Engineering, (Mining Engineering) 1997, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada and a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining Engineering), 1994, University of Guyana, Pass with Credit.
He is an engineer with extensive experience in project management, production management, field exploration, site rehabilitation, environmental impact assessment, environmental management planning, environmental monitoring, closure and decommissioning plans, feasibility studies, mineral inventory estimation, mineral processing plant design, rehabilitation and re-vegetation of mined out lands, mine plans and training instructor for mining and environmental studies.
He worked at WWF Guianas from 2004-2011 as the Regional Coordinator, Gold Mining Pollution Abatement Coordinator with responsibilities for conservation activities for the small scale gold mining sector in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
In addition, he functioned in various capacities at GGMC from 1984 to 2002 then resigned as Senior Mineral Processing Engineer 11 after which he worked with Environmental Management Consultants from 2005-2011 as a Mining Environmental Specialist. Mr. Vieira was also an independent environmental consultant for several mining projects in Guyana and Suriname and lectured part-time at the University of Guyana in the Department of Mining.
He has several publications in scientific journals including the Journal of Cleaner Production, the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, and the Health, Safety and Environmental Quarterly. He participated in several mining conventions on mercury for the UNEP and EEB in Sweden, Switzerland, Kenya, Belgium, Thailand, Philippines, USA and in Brazil.
Prior to Mr. Vieira’s confirmation as Commissioner, he was Deputy Commissioner for the period January 2012 to October 2012 and was later appointed Commissioner acting in November 2012 until his confirmation to the post of Commissioner.
Meanwhile, Minister Persaud remains optimistic that these appointments will continue to build on the record breaking declaration of 481, 102 for 2013, surpassing the previous highest level of 455, 918 ounces in 2001; which included the declarations of both Omai and small scale operators.