GUYANA will soon be among those countries that are committed to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for Rough Diamonds.

The Kimberley Process will allow this country to work towards implementing further regulations on the mineral's mining and export.

Prime Minister Sam Hinds told a press briefing Tuesday at the Georgetown offices of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), that the course has been set for the country to become party to the Protocol.

It is a necessary step if Guyana is to maintain its status for producing and trading in diamonds, he said.

Currently, the GGMC, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Tourism are working assiduously to draft the relevant laws and to put other procedures in place to give effect to the scheme in Guyana, Mr. Hinds said.

According to official reports, Guyana is an active exporter of diamonds to countries all over the world and has a record declaration of 248,435 metric carats for diamonds mined last year. The expectation was some 245,000 metric carats.

Prime Minister Hinds said there would be some extra requirements for Guyana to conform to the Kimberley Protocol so that diamonds from Guyana would continue to freely access the world market.

He explained though, that the cost will involve additional recording, additional checking steps, which could entail more time in processing.

He noted that the Kimberley Protocol was established as a way of limiting trading in rough diamonds from some African countries, which trading provides funds for the illegal purchase of arms and the prolonging of conflicts.

However, Mr. Mark Von Bockstael of the World Diamond Council, said such a situation is not likely to transpose to South American countries.

He explained that the protocol was intended to maintain consumer confidence in the symbolism of diamonds as love rather than conflict that has been promulgated through its illegal trade.

Bockstael further stated that conflict diamonds have caused a negative downturn for exporters, a trend the protocol is seeking to reverse.

Mr. Robeson Benn, Commissioner of the GGMC, said the main focus now is to have certain legislation amended, which would record the required administrative features to facilitate the Kimberley Accord.

He explained that the Kimberley Process Certificate, which is tamper-proof, has certified features and approved signatures.

Benn said Guyana is at the stage of drafting the features of the certification under the new protocol, for which a January 31, 2003 deadline has been set.

He added that the amendments governing the diamond exportation are now in their draft stages and should be printed within two weeks at an overseas location.

Benn estimates that all the particulars with regard to Guyana's accession to the protocol, through the posting of relevant signatures to the member countries will be completed by early February.

Once Guyana becomes an official signatory to the Kimberley Protocol, exports will be subject to periodic international audits to ensure that export records sent abroad correspond with the exportation.

Fundamentally, the process from the mining of diamonds to the point of sale requires the recording of production, where there could be 'traceability'.

Benn said there is already a system in place from the level of the miners, which includes the carat weight, the claim from which the diamond was mined, and the time.

He also explained that if the diamonds were traded in the fields to the registered dealers, records will also have to be kept both by the seller and the producer.

With regard to the administration and exportation of diamonds at the time of paying royalties, the number of diamonds and carat weight are recorded.

Benn said that at the time of exportation, the application for export licence forms and all the records are signed, the diamonds are sealed in the presence of the GGMC and the Customs Administration, and the records are retained for 'traceability'.

He said that in terms of the Kimberley Accord, a special certificate would be issued, which would state that the diamonds have been mined and are being administered and exported in accordance with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for Rough Diamonds.