000 ounces of gold. At the end of June

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New President of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association, Norman McLean, says the issue of undocumented foreigners is among the problems facing the industry.He said that the new executive of the Association intends to confront those challenges and will seek to register undocumented foreigners.According to McLean, the Association also has to deal with the challenge of ensuring that mining takes place in an effective and environmental sound manner, ensuring that industry players have a built in system in complying with good standards.McLean said that the industry also faces the challenge of ensuring its own economic growth and that of the national economy.He said that the Association is one of the foremost production Associations in Guyana and the leadership of the Association, over the years, has propelled the Association and its members to making an outstanding contribution to the economy and the development of Guyana.McLean said that the production records show a stellar performance by miners, who have contributed more than 20 per cent of the national Gross Domestic Product, amounting to over US$20 million. From 2005 to June 2009, a total of 990,440 ounces of gold was declared.For the future, McLean said the Association will have to work to counter the misconceptions surrounding gold mining, since the sector makes a significant contribution to the economy and supports families of about 100,000 Guyanese.For this year, miners are seeking to surpass the target and produce more than 260,000 ounces of gold. At the end of June, 130,220 ounces of gold had been declared, which is just on target for the first half of the year.Referring to the contribution of the mining sector to the local economy, McLean said that in 2008 an estimated 25 per cent of export earnings came from gold mining alone.After the closure of Omai Gold Mines in 2005, McLean said that the Association and its miners took up the challenge and dramatically improved the production and declaration of gold in the years that followed.