Comments on: Arau residents say mining has polluted, diverted river

By: Guy Marco

Guy Marco — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:35:10 +0000

It’s good that Stabroeknews has this news/report so that the WORLD will see what is happening under the covers.

By: Guy Marco

Guy Marco — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:27:12 +0000

This is only one part of the mining/Amerindian areas in the ” El Dorado” of Guyana.
In 1989 I traveled into the Mazaruni areas with a Botanist name Bruce Hoffman sent by Smithsonian Institute to collect plant samples. During that time I observed the destruction of the rivers that obviously polluted drinking waters(rivers) of the Natives that live in the area.
We camped at one of the villages.That night the leader of the village sat with me and laid down his problems with the miners as if to say “please amplify my problem” which I did actually in one of my letters to the media. But what did my letter do ? Nothing!! because no one cares about our environment and its Aboriginal Peoples.
It starts from the very top – the Government – who allowed International Gold company of Canada to go in there and sucked out the gold with their high-tech equipment.
We met with one of the official of that comapny who said that that the river banks will be destroyed anyway – ‘naturally’ – when we voiced our concer about the envorionment.

By: bbuckman

bbuckman — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:05:02 +0000

me na imigrant you know.this land belong to me.
aioo dis try me tree,nasty me riva,kill me fish.
and chase way me animal.
get out a me land if you cant protect it.

By: morpho

morpho — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:01:32 +0000

This is not the only amerindian village to be plagued by mining activities- and it would not be the last. Guyana’s interior is being ripped inside out for the promise of riches. More often than not miners make a loss rather than a profit.

WIth gold prices so high our own greed will destroy one of the last pristine countries in the world. It would be interesting for a survey to be done on the percentage of amerindian communities affected by mining. I would guess its more than half- at least and all of their stories go untold. Aside from this what is happening in locations where there are no people to speak up for the environment?

Our land is being rendered useless for gold – nothing will grow on mined out areas and many mined out areas remain barren for years. So much for any hopes in promoting ecotourism since the desecration can be seen by any aerial trip to Kaieteur and fast growing!

By: Queen

Queen — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:38:04 +0000

why are miners allowed to bring mercury into the country. Should this not be a controlled substance. Er, sorry, I forgot controlled substances abound in Guyana.
Whilst in the Commonwealth of Dominica, I visited their famed Carib reserve said to be the home of the last remaining Caribs in the region. These Caribs are definitely not purebloods nor do they have any idea of the way of life of their supposed forefathers.
We should endeavor to protect the heritage of OUR native Indians