Strengthening Community Oversight: GMSTCI Empowers Kaikan villagers through Community Mines Ranger Training

From February 9–23, 2025, the Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Inc. (GMSTCI) conducted a 10-day Community Mines Ranger Training at the Kaikan Primary School, located in the heart of the Cuyuni Mining District #4. The program brought together 20 participants (17 males and 3 females) eager to build their technical and regulatory capacity for safer, more responsible mining operations within their community.

The training, led by Instructors Garvin Douglas and Pretima Lall, focused on three core areas: Map Reading and Navigation (GPS), Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), and Mining Regulations. These modules were designed to give participants the foundational skills needed to interpret maps, monitor local mining activities, and uphold environmental and safety standards in keeping with national mining laws.

Participants engaged in both classroom and hands-on exercises, including GPS field mapping sessions, OSH signage design, and mock inspections simulating real-world mining oversight. According to Instructor Douglas, the initiative is “a crucial step toward empowering mining communities to self-regulate and protect both their livelihoods and the environment.”

By the end of the course, participants demonstrated improved technical competence and a deeper understanding of their role in promoting compliance and sustainability in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector.

The GMSTCI remains committed to “Building Capacity, Empowering Miners” across Guyana, ensuring that communities like Kaikan continue to benefit from quality technical training and opportunities for growth within the extractive industries.