Training is the foundation of long-term success for any business or organisation. This is especially true for agencies certified to national and international standards, which are regularly updated to reflect new research, emerging technologies, safety requirements and evolving industry best practice. Among these agencies is the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), which over the past decade has remained a consistent and committed stakeholder of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) and its standards-based training initiatives.
The GGMC was established in 1979 from the former Department of Geological Surveys and Mines, itself the successor to the Geological Survey of British Guiana. Operating under the Ministry of Natural Resources, its mandate is to facilitate, monitor and regulate the sustainable utilisation of Guyana’s mineral resources, including petroleum.
In 2011, the Commission was successfully certified to the ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems (QMS) Standard. While this certification strengthened the agency’s ability to execute its mandate, it also required the continuous training and retraining of employees to maintain conformance to requirements, to avoid issues that can lead to safety risks, reputational damage and more.
As a result, the GGMC’s Training Department continues to partner with the GNBS to access training on the ISO 9001 Standard and other relevant programmes offered annually. GGMC’s Training Officer, Jevon King, disclosed that over the years, employees of the Commission have completed courses such as Understanding and Implementing ISO 9001, Process Mapping, Risk Management, Internal Auditing of QMS, GYS 170 – Requirements for the Operation of a Laboratory, and ISO 45001 – the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Management Systems, among others.
On completing these training courses, Mr. King noted that “employees are more confident in their work. They know what to do and how to deliver, which puts the organisation in a better position to perform because it makes the job easier for both employees and customers.”
“Of course, if I know what I have to do, then my output will be great and the Commission will be able to fulfil its mandate,” he added.
Employees benefiting from the training include officers within the Land Management, Audit, Human Resources and Environment Divisions.
Continuous training has also enabled the agency to strengthen safety in its operations, adapt to staff changes and promotions, maintain competitiveness and boost overall staff morale.
Mr. King, who has also benefited personally from some of the programmes, lauded the GNBS for its “excellent” delivery of the courses.
“It was excellent, and the other reviews were good. We had no complaints from the persons who were trained, so I must say it was well received,” he said.
Safety Inspector Irvie London also noted that the training has helped him “tremendously” in executing his daily duties.
“The facilitators and trainers understood their course content, and it was delivered at a level where everyone was able to participate. Everyone was able to ask questions and interact based on what was delivered, which made the experience better,” he said.
Having previously completed aspects of safety standards training at the tertiary level, he explained that while he had a general understanding of the standards, the GNBS provided the in-depth practical knowledge required.
“We had to start from a documentation level, and this soon became critical as we embarked on different investigations in the mining sector requiring key documents to be completed to determine the next steps,” he explained, while encouraging others to pursue training through the GNBS.
“I have already started encouraging others to get trained by the GNBS, especially colleagues I attended the University of Guyana with,” he added.
The officers expressed gratitude to the GNBS for its continued commitment to delivering high-quality training to both public and private sector organisations, thereby improving the overall delivery of safe and quality services in Guyana.
To view the GNBS Training Schedule for 2026, please visit the GNBS Website: www.gnbsgy.org and click the Business Development Tab.
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