Despite a ministerial order to halt the operation of a dredge in close proximity to Isseneru’s residential area, at Middle Mazaruni, Region Seven, the miner on Thursday reportedly restarted his mining operation, triggering concern that conflict could erupt between him and the villagers.
“Something has to be done immediately,” Vice-President of the Amerindian Peoples Associa-tion (APA) Tony James told Stabroek News yesterday as he expressed alarm at reports that villagers were incensed.
James related that yesterday he was contacted by the deputy toshao of Isseneru, who informed him that the miner restarted his operations at 4pm on Thursday.
He said that the miner was operating his dredge in the Mazaruni River about 50 feet away from its banks and close to a residential area in the village. Given the sandy terrain, there is concern that erosion would undermine the houses, he said.
James said that apart from the environmental damage being done, including noise pollution, the waste from the miners, including faeces, are being dumped into the water. Residents use the river for a variety of domestic purposes. He called for action to be taken.
A fact-finding team led by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and which included Legal Adviser David James and representatives of the Environmen-tal Protection Agency and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) visited the indigenous village on Wednesday. Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman was supposed to be a part of the visit but did not go. No statement has been issued by the government on the findings of this team.
“Nobody is doing anything,” James said. “Nothing ain’ stop.”
Last Saturday, the Ministry of the Presidency, in a statement, said that Trotman, who has responsibility for Natural Resources and the Environment, had directed the miner to halt the operation of a dredge in close proximity to Isseneru’s residential area.
The statement said that the decision followed complaints from the Toshao and representatives of the village of Isseneru and the order was effective immediately, pending a fact-finding mission to be conducted by the Ministry in the area.
The Natural Resources and the Environment Department was expected to field a team of relevant personnel to assess the water quality and other issues and concerns related to pollution and adherence to boundary laws. “This will allow for a final decision to be taken in this matter,” the statement had said.
Earlier this month, Isseneru resident Dwight Larson, in a letter to Stabroek News, raised concerns about the risks posed by the dredge.
Larson, who said he highlighted the situation in hopes that the various state agencies and government ministries responsible for mining, indigenous affairs and legal affairs will take action, noted that the GGMC granted permission to the miner to operate a cutter head river dredge in close proximity to Isseneru’s residential area.
“This is blatant disrespect by GGMC and its officers to grant permission to this operation, knowing that this type of mining can cause huge environmental damage, health problems and loss of life,” he wrote.
“This is a serious issue which needs an urgent response because it poses the risk of erosion and major damage to residential and government properties including the hydromet station, school and health facilities which are close to the area where this destructive mining operation is positioned.
This is also a violation of Isseneru’s rights under Section 48 (1) of the Amerindian Act and section 112 of the Mining Act since no consultations were held between the GGMC, the dredge owner and the Isseneru Village Council,” Larson added.
