PAC to increase monitoring in Kaieteur Park as Joint Services leave

Jun 16, 2017 News

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-body mulls prosecution, equipment seizure

The Protected Areas Commission (PAC) is examining the recommendations made by

the Joint Services team, which was deployed to the Kaieteur National Park (KNP) to clamp down on mining.
The operation ended on Monday.
Commissioner of the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), Denise Fraser, said that the Commission will be upping its monitoring activities in the area and will work to establish a plan to ensure that the recommendations, which fall within its remit, are put into full effect.
The Joint Services Report recommended that all operators should be prohibited from transporting mining equipment and other such paraphernalia into the KNP from any port of entry. Additionally, the report called for the impounding of all equipment seized and prosecution of the registered owners. It was also recommended that there be a clear and obvious demarcation of the protected area boundary.
With significant water pollution and damage to trees observed in all of the mining areas identified, the team has recommended that remediation efforts should be considered to restore the distorted waterways and damaged patches of forest. It also called for charges and fines to be instituted against the owners of the equipment, which caused the degradation of the

environment. The Joint Services also called for the prohibition of mobile mining activity near the park and for the removal of ‘draggers’ or mobile dredges from the Potaro River.
The report also pointed out the need for clear and appropriate public information directed at residents and visitors to the park.
The park is home to the world renown Kaieteur Falls.
Following the conclusion of the operation, most of the ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Guyana Police Force and officers of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) have already left the area, with the remainder expected to be transported to the capital city by the end of today.
According to a government release, as a result of the operation, which included foot patrols and aerial surveillance throughout the park, illegal mining activity has been brought to an end with equipment seized and mining camp areas secured.
During the two-week operation, eight camps were discovered, six of which were active.
According to the findings reported by the Joint Services, 26 mining engines were seized, as

well as the equivalent of two and a half barrels of fuel and a diving suit. The team also reported the presence of mobile dredging operations (draggers), which were quickly moved by operators, once they became aware of the presence of the Joint Services.
The release stressed that Section Four of the Kaieteur National Park Act notes that: “It shall not be lawful for any person to enter into, travel or encamp within the park or to build any structure therein, or to hunt, chase, catch, shoot at, kill or otherwise disturb any animal or cut, pluck or gather any of the flora or interfere with or disturb the soil by mining or other operations within the park or to remove anything whatsoever from the park except in accordance with regulations made under this Act.”
The Act also said that any person acting in contravention of any of the provisions of the subsection shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of $97,500 with any items found forfeited.
Further, according to the regulations made under the Mining Act 2005, Part XXVII Section 251 (1) (a), “No person shall conduct mining and quarrying activities in the following areas – In specified nature reserves and parks where resource extraction is prohibited; (c) In buffer areas without express approval of the Commission and the notification of parties likely to be affected by the activity.”
Additionally, Section 122 of the Protected Areas Act 2011 states that “Any person, except persons under the Amerindian Act, who mines, quarries, drills or removes any minerals, stone, gravel, earth, sand, or other substances or prospects for such substance in a national protected area commits an offence under paragraph (a) of the Fourth Schedule.”
The Fourth Schedule (a) states “A fine of not less than $10,000 nor more than $50,000 and (f) a fine of not less than $500,000 nor more than $2M per day for continuance of activity with imprisonment for five years for repeating activity after the second instance.”
This is not the first time that miners have been ejected from the area. On Sunday, a cameraman and an Amerindian were detained after venturing into the park, in Region Eight. They were later released.
Over a week ago, several miners, including women, were brought to a city after being detained in the park.
Authorities had announced that they were no longer proceeding with charges after a number of Amerindian bodies protested. They were disputing whether the miners were actually conducting activities in the park.

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