Latest update November 13th, 2024 1:00 AM
Miners complain of severe financial loss due to incomplete Ekereku airstrip
The incomplete Ekereku Bottom airstrip
…Contractor assures completion set for November
Kaieteur News – Two years after the Orlando Charles Foundation was awarded the $308,034,237 contract for the Ekereku Bottom airstrip, miners from the Ekereku mining district have complained of the incomplete works on the airstrip, which has resulted in financial losses, and a halt of their work.
The Ekereku Bottom airstrip located in Region Seven, is said to be the main airstrip for miners. Due to that fact and given that planes were unable to land at the location, the miners are facing several challenges.
The miners who requested anonymity due to fear of victimisation told Kaieteur News that because they are unable to use the incomplete airstrip they are forced to use Blakes Slater’s Airstrip (BSA). This airstrip is reportedly farther and increases their cost.
The frustrated miners said that they spend more money on diesel.
“Well, the fact that we have to use the BSA airstrip and you know to take up our food and other supplies we have to buy boats to come back down the river to our location there, and that’s an increase of cost in everything,” a miner explained.
Further, the miner explained that boats are not always accessible, and often time miners would have to wait days before being able to get to specific locations.
“The airstrip is down for almost two years, and this has caused tremendous hardship for miners,” the miner said adding, “It has halted a lot of mining activities because people cannot afford to use the other airstrips to come down.”
Kaieteur News understands that as a result of the incomplete airstrip at Ekereku, several small-scale miners have left the area.
Similarly, another miner told Kaieteur News there needs to be an urgent solution to the problems they are facing as a result of the incomplete airstrip.
“…We need to put an operation down in the back there, where planes used to come and land and we had it easier, now we have to use Correia airstrip (BSA), which is far away….so it’s difficult,” the man related.
The miner stressed, “This thing is really affecting we … this airstrip it’s a big problem. It has affected me financially a lot because I can’t get to do no work.”
The frustrated miner said it is difficult to understand why the contractor has been unable to complete the airstrip.
“This year it will be two years and they can’t finish the main airstrip in Ekereku ..and we right now we struggling because of this airstrip,” the miner told Kaieteur News.
Another miner ventilated his frustration about the situation. He said, “For the past two years I ain’t hear nothing about it, i don’t know what is happening with that contract there…. Something has to be done because this thing is very very costly for us.”
Clarity on issue
Contact was made with the contractor, Orlando Charles who briefly said that the airstrip will be completed by November.
“No, no, I can’t comment …the airstrip is due to complete November this month. The work is ongoing on it and it will be completed (by) November,” Charles told Kaieteur News.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill in an interview with this publication stated that the contract period has expired, and that the airstrip is incomplete.
Notwithstanding, the minister said that the project team recently met with the contractor who committed to having the Ekeruru Bottom airstrip project completed by the end of November.
“There are a number of challenges, that have led to the delays,” the Minister pointed out.
Minister Edghill assured that “We understand the seriousness, the urgency which people will like to have the airstrip completed and it’s with that in mind that we have engaged Mr. Charles recently to get the matter resolved.”
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