Indian company extends stone expertise to GGMC

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has received samples of semi-precious stone from Indian stone mining giant Gem Group of Companies.
Chairman of Gem Group, R. Veeramani, and Director of Gem Granites, R. Gunasekaran, paid a courtesy call on Acting GGMC Commissioner Newell Dennison on Thursday and made the presentation.
Veeramani, who also chairs the Development Panel for Granite Industry within India’s Ministry of Industry, told Commissioner Dennison that his company has assisted other countries with the promotion and development of their stone industries.
“We help other countries in establishing the market and to promote their material,” Veeramani said.
Dennison opined that establishing this collaboration would help to improve the GGMC’s lapidary section, which remains underdeveloped and under-promoted.
“Perhaps this is a good time to see how we can raise the profile and get the lapidary back on the proper footing,” Dennison said.
Verramani is credited with promoting India’s stone industry, whose export market is valued at about billion. India has identified 200 varieties of stone, and Gem Group has branded more than 70 varieties of those stones.
The Department of Public Information noted that a sample of these stones was presented to be displayed in the GGMC’s library. “Those varieties that they are going to leave with us will certainly put (our lapidary display) on a different platform,” Dennison pointed out.
Gem Group is on a five-day scoping mission to explore investment opportunities in Guyana.