Six Puruni dredges ordered to cease work

May 04, 2017 News

Members of the team carrying out water quality tests on the Wyanamu Creek

In keeping with a commitment made on April 18, 2017, the Ministry of Natural Resources deployed a team comprising officers of its Compliance Division and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to the Puruni, Region 7 area on April 24 and 25, 2017.
According to the ministry, this followed the early April 2017, Guyana Human Rights Association report on the effects of gold mining in the Puruni River, and over the border in Venezuela.
“The Ministry’s team discovered a number of mining infractions being committed during their investigations along the Puruni River.
As a result, the GGMC issued cease work orders for five river dredges, one cease work order for a land dredge and one citation for a land dredge,” a statement from the ministry said.
The report on the wider investigation of all concerns raised by the GHRA report is being finalised for submission to Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, and further action to address environmental degradation will be instituted in the coming weeks, it was disclosed.
“Once the report is received and analysed, it is expected that other ministries and agencies will be engaged to find a multi-dimensional solution to a complex issue that is in part driven by mining activities in neighbouring Venezuela.”
The ministry said it remains committed to good environmental stewardship in all mining operations and urge miners to adhere to all of the laws and regulations governing mining and the environment, or face the full extent of the law.

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