–with 1.7 million tonnes produced in 2024, thousands employed in the industry, Natural Resources Minister says
GROWTH in the bauxite industry continued throughout 2024, with high levels of production, and more employment opportunities, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat said during his ministry’s 2024 year-in-review press conference on Tuesday.
The consistent advancement of the bauxite industry is as a result of the prudent and strategic interventions of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, the minister said.
Contrary to this performance, the former coalition administration had crippled the industry during the period 2015-2020.
As was widely reported, production had fallen by more than 40 per cent, and employment reduced by half.
Minister Bharrat detailed the various challenges that the sector had faced owing to the sub-par management of the previous administration.
“When we took over in 2020,” he said, “we were still suffering and trying to recover from the withdrawal of Rusal due to the mismanagement by the previous administration.”
This move had placed over 500 persons on the breadline, the minister said, adding that this unexpected development had mostly affected communities like Ituni, Kwakwani, and New Amsterdam.
The PPP/C administration has not only reversed this effect, but has also taken the industry further.
In 2023, the production in bauxite was 523,732 tonnes, but in 2024, production jumped to 1.7 million tonnes; this is an increase of 225 per cent in comparison to 2023, Minister Bharrat said, adding:
“So, this has been a real success story for us, especially in generating employment and economic opportunities in Region 10.”
In Linden, Kwakwani and Ituni areas, an increase in jobs has been witnessed, the minister said, while confidently boasting that there are now over 1,000 persons working in the bauxite industry.
“That is an increase of about 300 persons in 2024. We will continue to see significant investment by the company,” Minister Bharrat said.
He also credited the surge in production and employment to the increased investment by BOSAI Mineral Group.
Another area that has witnessed significant achievements was quarrying, as Guyana’s rapid pace of development has translated to growth across all sectors.
The increased demand for building materials has pushed quarrying to a next level. While in 2020, production was just over 730,000 tonnes, the quarrying sector, now, is undergoing immense growth.
Providing some figures, Minister Bharrat said that 1.8 million tonnes of stone was produced in 2023. But in 2024, this moved to 3.33 million tonnes.
Additionally, because of investor confidence, there has also been the opening of new quarries.
Today, there are 17 operational quarries and a few of the existing quarries are expanding their operations and investments, thereby increasing production.
With more quarries expected to come on stream, Bharrat said: “We are poised to see maybe another five new quarries from new operation in 2025 nearby carrying up our production way about four-million mark.”
