A man was killed on Friday at Frenchman Backdam, Upper Demerara River, Region Ten after the gold mining pit he was working in collapsed.
Police Commander of Region Ten Senior Superintendent Guy Nurse told the Stabroek News that the fatality occurred around 9 am on Friday.
Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat referred this newspaper to his ministry’s Permanent Secretary Joslyn McKenzie for information into the fatality but efforts to contact Mckenzie were futile. He did not respond to messages or calls to his mobile number.
Over the years there has been a number of mining pit cave-ins leading to deaths and injuries.
Just last month 47-year-old Stephen Mark Samuel of Karawab Mission, Pomeroon River died after a mining pit collapsed in the Puruni Backdam, Puruni River, Region Seven.
Last September, Ministry of Labour Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Officer Naipaul Persaud and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) officials visited the Puruni River, Gold Mining District No 4, and had issued a cease work order after a 17-year-old boy died in a mining pit.
Following this, three nearby mining pit operations were issued with cease work and removal order notices following a collaborative inspection to see whether proper mining practices were being followed.
The OSH Department had said that it intended to conduct follow-up inspections within three weeks to ensure that the employers were complying with the recommendations provided to establish a safe and healthy working environment. It is unclear whether this was done.
