In the wake of two mining pit deaths at Moonlight Backdam, Kamarang, Region Seven, a Ministry of Labour team visited the area and shut seven camps temporarily, two of which have since been allowed to reopen.
A Ministry of Labour release noted that on August 2, 2023, 38-year-old Trayon Hastings of Kamarang Landing, Upper Mazaruni; and his employee, 20-year-old Rocky Norton of Isseneru Village, Middle Mazaruni were working in the mining pit when it suddenly collapsed and buried them.
Mark Embelton, a 37-year-old miner who was in a nearby camp, noticed the mining pit caving in and raised an alarm. A search party was immediately organized, and with the help of two excavators, the motionless bodies of the two men were finally retrieved early on August 3rd.
The release said that following reports of the incident, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Officer, Naipaul Persaud visited the worksite where the accident occurred and began investigations in collaboration with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and regional officials.
Seven mining camps within the immediate vicinity were issued a ‘Stop Work’ notice to allow the team to carry out a thorough inspection of their respective working environment.
So far, two of the seven mining camps have been allowed to resume operations while the remaining camps must complete remedial works before they can resume operations, the release said. Follow-up visits will be done to ensure that the recommendations made were implemented at the remaining camps, the ministry said.
