A conflict between residents near the Barama River and those operating a dredge there is now the focus of the police investigation into the shooting on Saturday that left one dead and another seriously injured and according to Crime Chief Seelall Persaud this seems to be the motive for the attack.
No arrests were made yesterday but police and relatives of the victims have ruled out robbery as the reason for the shooting. Police had said that nothing was stolen and that the production money and equipment were intact.
Contacted yesterday, Persaud told Stabroek News that the investigation has revealed that nothing was stolen but that there had been a dispute in relation to the dredge operations causing discoloration or pollution. This dispute would have been between residents and those operating the dredge.
Persaud pointed out that while the investigators are still “open” with the case, the dispute seems to be “showing up” as the motive.
A resident of Barama River told Stabroek News yesterday that the incident took place in an area called White Creek. The area where the shooting occurred is untitled and the miners had received the required permission from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to operate.
White Creek, the resident pointed out, is about 30 miles up the Barama River from a place called Kariaco, where there were three recent unexplained deaths.
This newspaper understands that during the last National Toshaos Conference in August, mining pollution in the Barama River area was raised by the community leaders, who had urged the authorities to address the matter. The residents in communities along the Barama River have been complaining to their respective villagers about pollution since they depend a lot on fish and use the water in the river for household and personal purposes.
The resident informed this newspaper that private dredge operators, some of whom are Brazilians, started mining operations using cutter head/drugger dredges. This is a heavy-duty dredge that disturbs the river bed and eventually damages the banks of the river. This leads to the river being polluted. Six dredges went into the area in February and another three recently. The resident said that this sort of mining activity is new to the area.
The dredge which was attacked on Saturday had been moved from its original position after residents of a small village nearby complained about pollution.
Regerton Simon called ‘Baba,’ of Lot P 73 Guyhoc Park was killed on the spot while Malvin Edwards, 33, of East La Penitence, was badly injured when gunmen launched a brazen attack on the dredge Saturday. Four Brazilian workers including a pregnant woman managed to escape without injury.
Using pen and paper because of his inability to speak owing to the bullet lodged in his head, Edwards recounted that over an hour before the shooting they saw two men with rifles passing the dredge. He said that they were suspicious but carried on with their work nonetheless.
According to Edwards, a former Guyana Defence Force member, he was in the sleeping quarters when gunshots rang out and while attempting to investigate he was shot and rendered unconscious.
Meanwhile, his mother Donna Hinds told this newspaper last evening that her son is doing much better and managed to eat yesterday. However, medical officials at the Georgetown Hospital where he is hospitalized are still advising that he does not speak.
Edwards underwent a CT scan on Monday and according to his mother, she has been told that he would not require surgery.
Edwards, a welder, was also shot in the chest and arm.
A post-mortem examination is expected to be done today on Simon’s remains, which had already begun to decompose after being left in the open for two days before being removed. He will be laid to rest later this week.
