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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Territorial government officials travelled to Great Britain, Belgium and Botswana last month to promote the NWT's diamond industry and gain insight into the global diamond market.

The international tour, attended by Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister David Ramsay, Mackenzie Delta MLA Frederick Blake Jr. and deputy minister Peter Vician cost the GNWT approximately $44,000 - a cost well worth the outcomes from the trip, Ramsay told Yellowknifer.

"A big part of my job is promoting investment into the territory and growing the economy," he said. "Diamonds are obviously a big part of our economy, so we needed to be there."

First, the group travelled to London, England, from Jan. 11 to 15 where they visited De Beers CEO Philippe Mellier and saw Snap Lake production diamonds sorted and valued.

The next stop, from Jan. 15 to 18, was Antwerp, Belgium - a major centre in the global diamond market.

From Jan. 20 to 23, the group visited Gabrone, Botswana where they met with representatives from the Diamond Trading Company and Debswana, a diamond mining and production company owned by a 50/50 partnership between De Beers and the Botswana government.

Range Lake MLA Daryl Dolynny is tracking the heralded rebirth of the Northern polishing industry closely and said he is concerned the government has not learned from its past mistakes.

The closure of two cutting and polishing factories two years ago essentially eliminated secondary industry business in the NWT, he said.

Last month, Deepak International Ltd. was granted "Approved NWT Diamond Manufacturer" status and has announced intentions to re-open two polishing factories in Yellowknife.

"I don't think (the government) has a plan, and if the government does have one, then they certainly haven't shared it," he said.

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