A team from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) will begin a probe into reported pollution of the Waini and Barama Rivers later this month.
GINA said that Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman gave this assurance to residents of the Moruca, Region One Sub-District on Saturday, during a public meeting. Trotman, along with Minister within the Ministry Simona Broomes, and a team met with Moruca residents at the Santa Rosa Secondary School.
The Ministers told the residents that the visit was part of government’s efforts to meet with residents of communities to listen to their concerns and issues.
Santa Rosa and Islands, Village Councillor, Graham Atkinson, raised the pollution concerns. He said that many of the Amerindian communities in the area are dependent on the rivers, particularly the Waini for its supply of freshwater fish.
Atkinson said that mining in the upper Barama River has seen excessive sediment being released into the river which runs into the Waini. He also suggested random water quality testing be conducted by the regulatory agencies as part of their monitoring.
Meanwhile, other village councillors raised concerns about the mistreatment of Amerindians who are employed in the mining and logging sectors in the region, GINA said. Kamwatta Village Councillor, Camilla Frances told the Natural Resources Ministers that a “lot of injustice is taking place.”
Frances said miners from outside the region are seeking employees from the communities in Moruca, but then would mistreat them and not pay them in many instances. The treatment of workers in the mining and logging sectors in the region was also raised by Senior Village Councillor of Mora, Aloysius Daniels and Toshao of Santa Rosa, Sherwin Abrams.
Toshao Abrams lamented the fact that the miners and loggers seeking workers in the Moruca communities do not “present themselves to the village council.” Often times, Abrams explained, these people would send boat captains or others from the community to recruit workers.
Abrams said, according to GINA, many of the workers are exploited and not paid for their services. Abrams called for “drastic action from the level of the ministers.”
Broomes told the councillors and Toshao that the Ministry has received several similar complaints of exploitation of workers by miners. “I want to make the point clear that not only are we aware of it, but we will address it. I want you to be assured,” the Minister said.
She also encouraged the residents to ensure that their relatives who work in the interior, “get all the information of the person” they will be working for.
