Faced with threats of protest action by residents of Moblissa in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice), Chinese logging firm, Bai Shan Lin, accused of mining illegally in the community yesterday met residents and made several commitments.
The company is accused of carrying out unlawful works at Moblissa, Linden and ignoring a Cease Work Order (CWO) served on it by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) sometime ago.
While it was given a licence for logging, Bai Shan Lin has been removing laterite—a soil type rich in iron and aluminium—from Moblissa for the construction of a two-mile road at Bamia. This, residents said, not only has negative environmental impacts, but is destroying their main access road as the large heavy-duty equipment traversing the thoroughfare leaves the road in disrepair.
“We have been complaining about this issue a long time now and like this company just don’t care. GGMC gave them cease orders to stop and they still continue mining the laterite and loam and all them big excavators and trunks just bruking up the road. Well we are not prepared to go down that road. We would have protested and stopped all work legal and illegal until somebody do something,” a resident who requested anonymity told Stabroek News yesterday.
Regional Chairman of Region 10 Sharma Solomon said yesterday’s meeting was to have direct interface between the company and residents as he did not want it to be seen as a political issue. He said that last week Friday a meeting was held between him and the company’s officials, but he felt it would be better to have the company meet the persons directly affected as only they could aptly put over their feelings.
“I wanted the residents to speak for themselves. For the company to hear from them and to see how what they are doing is affecting these people. Let them hear their voices,” he said.
Solomon said yesterday’s meeting included Country Manager of Bai Shan Lin Hongbo Chu; a management employee Allan (only name given); President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association Clinton Williams and an official of the GGMC. Residents had asked that an environmental engineer be present and Charles Ceres has volunteered to be the consultant for the Moblissa residents.
Among the issues discussed was repairing the $90 million Inter-American Development Bank-funded road, which is the community’s main access into Linden where they sell their farming produce.
“The road is an economically viable road because they produce 20% of Linden’s food and it’s what they use to come in and go out,” Solomon said.
“If this road is destroyed the lives of the people are directly and greatly affected. They would have to pay high costs to travel so it is very important,” he added.
And while residents want the road repaired, it must be done to the standard that it was in. Their engineer/consultant will therefore undertake independent tests to ascertain that the materials used are not substandard.
All costs will be absorbed by Bai Shan Lin.
In addition to the road repair, research is also expected to be undertaken to determine the effects of the mining on the community. According to Solomon, over 37,000 tonnes of laterite had been removed from Moblissa since Bai Shan Lin began its illegal operation.
A GGMC official has confirmed that if the company remains in violation of the cease order today, officers will visit the area to confiscate equipment as this is catered for under the rules and guidelines.
When Bai Shan Lin was contacted the country manager confirmed that the meeting was held. Allan (only name given) informed that commitments were made but the residents were very skeptical of the company.
“It went well. We will fix the road we tell them that. Next week we will begin to fix the road,” he said. Allan said that today the company will give additional details about the meeting and outline other commitments made.
Bai Shan Lin Deputy General Manager, Girwar Lalaram said he was unaware of a meeting with his executives and residents, but the road will be fixed. “I was there and there is some work to be done on the road but you know the weather keeping it back a little… But the road will be fixed in keeping with standard engineering practice,” he said.
