I was amused by Mr Patrick Barker’s letter of April 2 about talks to commence uranium mining in Guyana (‘Guyana should say no to uranium mining’). Indeed he was troubled by the idea because he said Guyana does not “consume” uranium. Presumably he is not aware that though Guyana does not consume bauxite it has for a hundred years been producing millions of tons of bauxite. If he is right in saying that only a few dollars will be earned from uranium mining instead of hundreds of millions of US dollars, then the government officials are wasting time with the talks.
I assume that as with the Omai gold mine any uranium mine would be sited in the heart of the jungle where there is no wind to blow down through the thick jungle any radon as he claimed. I am not aware that over the generations any rice farmer or sugar plantation owner ever made any claim for any loss suffered from bauxite mining. Like almost every other aspect of his letter it is hard to imagine children being able not only to explore their way into impenetrable jungle but to run around any abandoned mine. I am sure that government is aware that it is imperative for poverty stricken Guyana to exploit its mineral and other natural resources.
Yours faithfully,
Daoud Yamin
