State of mining sector is a nightmare – EPA Head

Jan 04, 2020 News

By Kiana Wilburg

When he considers all that is needed to get the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order for the petroleum sector, the entity’s head, Dr. Vincent Adams posits that one can feel “very overwhelmed.”

EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams

But it is nothing compared to what he feels upon examining the state of the mining sector and the work that lies ahead. “It’s a nightmare! And we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of the kind of monitoring we need to do.”
During an interview with Kaieteur News yesterday, the Director said, “Indeed, there is a lot of work we have to do for oil and gas. But there are other sectors besides oil that need our attention. Mining is one. It is a priority. But our biggest problem is access to the interior locations. There are approximately 10,000 miners out there, both small and medium scale and it is almost impossible to really see and regulate everything on the ground.”
He added, “…You would fly into certain areas and you would get some of the big ones, but there are others you can’t even reach even if you go by foot. It is just not possible to access them.”
The EPA Head said that his other problem in tackling this “nightmare of a sector” is having the capable people to carry out enforcement. For the time being, the Director said that the agency is collaborating with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission ( GGMC) to share some of its capabilities, while adding that he desperately needs funding to boast his human resources.
Further to this, the EPA Head told Kaieteur News that he wants to introduce monitoring of the sector via satellites and/or drones. He noted however that the agency would have to establish a special department for this. “And I have every intention of doing so,” the EPA Head added.
Considering the scarcity of resources, Dr. Adams candidly stated that he is not aware of how many miners are in breach of the nation’s environmental laws.
The EPA Head said, “Even though I just put together a mining unit, we have not even scratched the surface of how many of them are out of compliance… I am sure most of them don’t have permits. We know what is going on with bauxite but we have a handle on gold and diamond.”
In the meantime, the EPA Head said he will continue his efforts to reinforce the agency’s mining unit to address the arduous tasks that lie ahead.
ANALYTICAL EVIDENCE
Analytical evidence that was used to support the creation of the Government’s Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) notes that mining contributes significantly to employment. In 2013, the mining sector employed 17,000 people directly and 22,000 indirectly. The documented evidence also notes that the majority of mining jobs are concentrated in gold and diamond mining, especially on small- and medium-scale firms.
While noting the significance of the sector, the evidence does acknowledge that there are monitoring issues. The annex bearing the analysis said, “…In its current form, the lead regulatory agency (GGMC) struggles with its mandate, given the number of miners who operate in the sector vis-à-vis the number of mines officers.”
It was subsequently recommended that this problem may be addressed by leveraging local actors for monitoring activities, adopting technologies such as drones and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and increasing awareness while providing training to miners on environmentally friendly practices.