Latest update April 9th, 2025 12:59 AM
Chinese company begins removal of manganese from around farmer’s house
– resident seeks compensation
By Shervin Belgrave
Kaieteur News – The Guyana Manganese Inc. (GMI), a 100% owned Chinese company, operating in Mathews Ridge and Port Kaituma, Region One, has reportedly begun removing tons of
Peter Daniels on camera explaining the impact the company’s operation is having on his livelihood
manganese that it had been storing around a farmer’s home, which he said has destroyed his livelihood.
The move comes after Kaieteur News on Sunday published an article detailing the resident’s accusation against the company. GMI extracts the mineral from its mining pits located in Matthews Ridge but reportedly stores it at Oronoque, Port Kaituma before shipping it out of the country. One of the places they would store the manganese is around the property of a farmer and a father of five, Peter Daniels, 52. This action had resulted in vast destruction of the man’s crops leaving him with no other means to provide for his family.
A section of Daniel’s farm that is affected by the manganese
He told Kaieteur News that he had become so frustrated and decided to publicly share his story. About two days after the news article was published, Daniels called this newspaper and related that the company has started to remove the manganese from his property. In fact, the removal process is still ongoing. However, the farmer is now seeking compensation for the damage he has suffered as a result of the company’s actions.
He noted too that as the pile is reducing from in front of his house, there is a huge hole that is being left. Daniels said that he is unsure if the company will refill the “deep hole” when they are finished. “If they are leaving it just like that, it can prove to be very dangerous, especially for my children.
Ongoing removal of the manganese from Daniel’s property
One of them can fall in and severely hurt themselves especially at nights.Apart from this concern, Daniels pointed out that it will take a while for the earth to become fertile again and is now seeking compensation from the company for the severe damage it has caused. “They will have to pay me for all the plants I lose because nothing will grow back for just now. It’s going to take time, plenty time, and that is the only thing I depend on,” Daniels said.
The father of five had told this newspaper that the company has been storing manganese in front of his property since March 10, 2021. He noted that the pile had gotten so big that it surrounded his house and farm, totally imprisoning him.
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