With the price for gold on the international market around US$2,668 per ounce, the attraction for licit and illicit mining in the interior remains high and accompanied by all of the usual depredations: deforestation, reckless use of mercury and the pollution of rivers among others. The situation is exacerbated by the patently weak enforcement of laws and policing of mining regions by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).
At an information session on Wednesday for the planned new Oko gold mining venture in Region Seven, the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, a former head of the GGMC, lauded the new investment, hoped for similar ones and patted the government on the back for enabling more mining by small miners in the Marudi region and elsewhere.
During his presentation he made a quite startling comment which should challenge his broad welcome to expanded mining. He said that flying over some rivers of the country made him “want to hold my head in shame”. The clear implication from his statement was these rivers show evidence of pollution, the activities of miners triggered by the dizzying price for gold.
Aside from holding his head in shame what is the Minister and his government doing about this shameful situation which is putting rivers, their ecosystems and the people who use them at risk? Has he transmitted his concerns to the minister with responsibility for the Environment – the President – for action? Has he enlisted his colleague Minister of Natural Resources, the GGMC or the Environmental Protection Agency for immediate remedial measures?
The truth is that PPP/C governments have been manifestly indifferent to alluvial mining and the grave dangers it poses to rivers and those who depend on them. Going all the way by back to 2003, the Konawaruk River in Region Eight was declared `dead’, the victim of unrestrained mining effluent, heavy sedimentation, gouging of its banks and mercury use. Given the robust flows of revenue into the country from the oil sector perhaps the government could invest in the restoration as far as possible of the Konawaruk. Even more important is ensuring that other rivers don’t become fouled in this way.
In Ghana in West Africa, rivers have come under siege from illegal mining known as ` galamsey’. NBC reported on October 20 that mercury and other heavy metals in the country had contaminated over 60% of the country’s water sources, according to Ghana’s Water Resources Commission.
In Ghana’s capital, Accra, hundreds took to the streets last month for three days of protests, some carrying signs saying, “Greed is killing Ghana,” and, “Gold for the few, destruction for the many.”
Many carried bottles containing murky, brown water, a reference to the polluting of rivers and waterways in the country.
In August, Ghana Water Ltd., the country’s main water supplier, said it would not be able to provide water to residents of the city Cape Coast and its major surrounding areas because galamsey miners had polluted the nearby Pra River.
The threat to rivers here is real and the government must not stand by and abdicate its responsibility. It needs stronger enforcement.
Speaking at the observance of World Environ-ment Day at State House in June 2019, then President David Granger made a clarion call for the protection of rivers.
“River pollution – anywhere and at anytime – impacts adversely on water quality, health and the economic and social well-being of residents. Our rivers must be protected from pollution caused by environmental damage and degradation and the discharge of effluent from manufacturing, mining and farming”, the President said.
He added: “Gold mining is impacting adversely on our rivers. The dreadful ‘draga’ dredges used in gold mining are degrading our river banks and increasing the turbidity of our rivers. Effluent from gold mining has been contaminating our rivers.
“Mercury used in the amalgamation process in gold-mining has found its way into our waterways – rivers, rapids and creeks – and presents a threat to aquatic systems and our biodiversity. The amalgamation process in gold mining can cause mercury to leach into the soil and waterways, affecting both humans and the ecosystems.
“It is true that mining remains a vital sector in our economy, nevertheless we have to be very careful. Support for safe and sustainable mining is a key element of our Green State Development Strategy – our road map towards the good life for everyone”.
He then announced a series of measures that included the enforcing of existing mining and environmental laws more rigorously so as to ensure robust environmental monitoring and to eradicate river pollution and the eventual elimination of the use of mercury from the gold mining sector while introducing economically feasible alternatives to mercury. This was an ambitious plan which is still to be implemented.
Despite all of the unsavoury attributes that have stained mining in recent decades and the yet unresolved concerns over gold smuggling, this PPP/C government leans heavily in favour of the mining industry without commensurate attention to the environment and river health in particular.
