Lindeners took to the streets of Mackenzie and Wismar yesterday, calling on leaders of the town and the government to intervene into the dust being emitted by the Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana).
A groups of residents walked from Poker Street, Wismar to the main thoroughfare of Mackenzie, making stops at the Linden Hospital Complex, Bosai’s North gate entrance, the Regional Democratic Council office and the Linden Mayor and Town Council. They carried placards that highlighted their concerns: “Stop the dust urgently it affecting we,” “Jagdeo Do Something,” “Ramsammy Do Something NOW,” “Mingo Do something,” “Does the government support environmental science? No!”
Lindeners protesting yesterday.
Speaking with Stabroek News, protester Charles Sampson said the dust situation has gotten worse since the takeover by Bosai. According to him, the main aim of the protest is to get the ‘powers that be’ to meet residents of Linden to address the situation and give a definite time frame when it would be corrected. “If they can’t give us something positive we’ll be on the road all the time,” he said.
The dust emitted from the bauxite kilns and the ship loaders is affecting residents from as far as Wisroc to Amelia’s Ward. “What the dust is doing now it never used to do before so people are becoming more aware of the dangers of the dust,” a protestor said.
In a recent interview, Bosai’s Personnel and Industrial Relation superintendent Peter Benny had said that the company was working feverishly to fix the problem.
He said several meetings were held with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to discuss Bosai’s Plans to install a dust collector.
A team of consultants from Luoyang Institute of Refractories Research (LIRR) — a wholly owned subsidiary of China Iron & Steel Industry & Trade Group Corporation, which has passed the ISO900 international quality system certification — has been contracted to work on the design of the dust collectors for kiln 13 and kiln 14.
They are expected in Linden soon, when the actual design of the dust collector will be discussed having already at their disposal the several studies and tests undertaken in June by Acre Coking & Refractory Engineering Consulting Corporation in China.
To aid in alleviating dust emissions released from kiln 10, Bosai plans to utilize a dust suppression system proposed by GE Infrastructure Water and Process Technologies (a division of General Electric Specialty Materials that has a broad array of technical expertise and sophisticated research facilities dedicated to dust control technology with a leading position in the specialty chemical industry). This dust suppression system is expected to provide short-term and long-term dust control, reduce dust losses and improve air quality. It has been tested and approved by Alcoa and is currently been used by Alcoa in its Western Australia operations. It has also been used by Aroaima Mining Company.
The material for the dust suppression system has already been ordered and is expected to be in Guyana in a few weeks.
Meanwhile, residents are forced to put up with the dust invading their homes, work places, schools and even the hospitals. Owners of vehicles say the dust is causing serious problem by clogging several compartments, especially windows.
It also poses a serious health risk with hundreds developing respiratory problems.
Those who feel the effects of the dust most are residents and businesses in Silver Town, Canvas City, One and Half Miles, the Alleys, Victory Valley at Wismar and at Mackenzie, Watooka, Central Mackenzie, Retrieve, Fair’s Rust and Noitgedacht.
Residents plan to continue their protest until they are satisfied that all the relevant authorities are making valiant efforts to have the situation corrected in the earliest possible time.
The central govt, moreso the ministry of health should intervene on the residents behalf.
Well i agree with the residsens of linden for protesting the dust pollution. This is something that has been happening for years i can remember when i used to live in silvertown how the dust used to accumalate on everything, even when you walking and talking dust used to end up in your mouth. I guess the situation got worse over the years and people become aware of the health issues and are educated now. So i think it’s time the relevant authorities do something about the dust pollution.
While the grass grows the horse starves. Bosai was quick to dismiss. When would these things be put in place.
Where is corbin?HE is not here do something…
The bauxite company is not Corbin own.
Last week President Jagdeo visited the Demerara Harbor Bridge
and he discribe the deterioration of the 30 year old bridge
as: “unibelieveable, almonst criminal.
This is not a bridge this is people “LIFE” the president must go to Linden
and do something for the people, the bridge has new management Dinstinct.
Keep up the Pressure!!! Have to be out in LARGER numbers it’s the WELL being of ALL Lindeners, Don’t be intimidated!!
Worked should be stopped ..Thsi is outragoeus ..how can they knowingly continue to work where teh residents have to put uo with the dust.Thsi should ahve been a factor that was considered prior to them operation. Enough is enough ……
That’s right Lindeners you all know how to use this government to get things done,after the nurses strike things were put in place and now the dust eh,well things are already on their way,keep it that way,your fellow comrades from Port Mourant are not so lucky,they are greeted with the full force of the joint services in full battle gear and being shot at and even killed,most times the marches are being suppressed and these are the people whose taxes are keeping our country afloat,and this is the same people that put the P.P.P in power.
dont be sarcastic rdman thank you/
I guess you never heard of the 1960″s in Wismar,,,go read your History,,,Wismar/McKenzie is a special place in Guyana. WE DON’T PLAY.
RDMAN,do not envy the Lindeners for standing up for their rights and getting good results,they are not in the business of “sparing the Government and tekin punishment”Their loyality is to themselves and their children,those who do not want to stand up for themselves and their families will continue to suffer,and has no one to blame but themselves!!!Any part of the world you go,you will see people protesting if they are not happy with whatever situation they find themselves in.it is their right.!!
Why such a small group? This should be dealt with from the beginning. I am sure the management of the company was and is aware of this situation but ignored it to save a few dollars. Please don’t let this be another disaster like the cyanide spill. A few years from now people will start suffering from asthma various lung ailments if this is not dealt with soon.
This form of Pollution has been evident for years, through Guymine, Linmine and when Omai was running the plant and if residents are picketing now that would only mean it has gotten worst because it was already bad when the Bauxite Company was under the names mentioned above.
For someone to say that Lindeners are now educated about dust pollution is totally beyond the pale. Lindeners were always knowledgeable about this pollution and the risk it posses to their health and property. I can tell you this because most of the houses during the period when the company was ran by the State were of certain colours. As to their health, I think implicitly they traded it for goodies that was offered to them by the Company(State). Such goodies, were housing, health care, jobs, free water, extremely low electricity cost just to name a few. But today all of the above goodies are gone, especially JOBS and the only thing they receive from the new owner of the company is a FURTHER increase in Dust Pollution.
What i do not understand here, is how could the government allow the new owners to operate the plant without the proper safe guards to the environment and to the health of it’s citizens. The Environment is rated among the top 5 issues on the world’s Agenda. So i would think that the EPA would have been in the forefront addressing this issues. Or is it that the people of Linden is not worthy of their representation compare to someone living next to a propose cement bagging factory.
The country of the new owners of the Bauxite plant is the fastest growing economy in the world and they have made major strides in the last 30 -40 years but they also have a reputation for caring less about the environment as they race to dominate the world economically. So the health of the people of Linden means nothing to them for their goals are much much bigger than the lives of ordinary Lindeners.
pepie when i said that the people are now educated i simply means they are aware of the danger of the dust pollution and are standing up, because the situation got worse. i know lindeners were educated about the pollution long time ago.
Aya,,,,tek it back to DEMBA,,,the it back to DEMBA,,,,
I wish the people in Berbice would do the same. This has been a problem in Edinburgh and neighboring Villages for decades.
They don’t want to seem disloyal!