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Illegal miners ignore GGMC Cease Work Order in Potaro River
Even after a Cease Work Order was issued by Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), late January, a dragger (a large Brazilian dredge) continues to operate on a bank of the Potaro River destroying the environment.
Miners within the Region Eight district are calling on the GGMC to remove the dragger from the environment. They also want GGMC to investigate why the Mines Officer in Mahdia is not aggressive in halting the illegal operations.
The dragger operating on the bank of the Potaro River
According to a miner, this dredge is only supposed to operate in the river. “By working inland they are breaking the environment laws. Several reports were made to the Mines Officers in Mahdia and nothing is being done to stop this dredge from destroying the banks of the river,” the miner said.
He noted that even though the Cease Work Order was issued on January 28 the dragger continued to work on the bank of the river, but at nights. It was reported that miners operating the dragger are also dumping trees from the land into the Potaro River.
According to Parmanand Persaud, Stakeholders’ Support Officer of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, investigations were conducted on February 10 and February 13 and did not find any dragger in operation.
However, it is suspected that the dredge would operate within the confines of the buffer zone at nights. GGMC is taking steps to remove dredges that are operating in proximity of the Buffer Zone to avoid any breaches, Persaud assured.
According to Persaud, on January 28, acting on information that a river dredge was operating within the Potaro River buffer zone an investigation was carried out and the Cease Work Order was issued to the said dredge.
“Additionally, the GGMC seized an engine left unattended by persons allegedly operating on the landing in proximity to the road.”
Persaud said that the only evidence of previous operation within the buffer zone of the Potaro River area was the portion of land that was issued the Cease Work Order on January 28.
He assured that GGMC is currently expanding its monitoring and compliance of mining operations in the various mining districts to complement the rapid growth of the mining sector.
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