Namibia Mining Workshop 'Cleared Air'
Maybe this will help with the Engo EPL...who knows?
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Namibia: Mining Workshop 'Cleared Air'
Brigitte Weidlich
24 February 2009

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THE Ministry of Mines and Energy is to meet representatives of the mining industry for a second time in June this year, after a first workshop on the licensing processes was held last week, which "cleared the air" and erased a lot of misunderstandings.

"The two-day meeting with about 150 participants was the first-ever opportunity to meet officials of the Ministry's mining directorate," said Veston Malango, Chief Executive Officer at the Chamber of Mines.

"We had a long list of points we wanted clarity on with regard to prospecting and exploration and mining licence applications and procedures at the Ministry. Officials from the Ministry explained to us what they expect from the industry," Malango told The Namibian on Friday.

"Discussions were frank since it was felt there was non-compliance to regulations on both sides. The Ministry said they would reduce the backlog of (licence) applications, which piled up due to a high staff turnover within four months. We further discussed health and safety in the mining sector."

At the next workshop in June both the industry and the Ministry would take stock of progress, he said.

"So many things are changing in this vibrant sector that we should keep abreast and have discussions with the Ministry and update each other."

At the first day of the workshop, local miners had complained bitterly that many of their licence applications took almost a year to be processed, while larger mining investors jumped the queue.

According to Rosa Hamukuaja-Tobias, public relations officer at the Ministry, Mining Commissioner Erasmus Shivolo made it clear that the Ministry felt it was under pressure when mining investors turned to State House or the Office of the Prime Minister demanding to have their applications in the shortest possible time.

"It was decided that both the Ministry and the miners will improve on communicating with each other, strict compliance to all parts of the mining laws is utterly necessary and that the Ministry will organise more such workshops about every six months."

One of the participants said it was a pity the Ministry took 19 years to organise such a platform for exchanging views.

"At least a start was made but smaller miners have the opinion that bigger companies are protected, get preferential treatment. It is important that the best mining investors should obtain mining licences and not just those who have either big names or those running to State House," the small miner from the Erongo Region, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Namibian on Thursday.