Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) enforcement officers were ordered to remove two illegal dredges from the Kuyuwini River in Region Nine, GGMC Commissioner Newell Dennison has said.
Stabroek News had reported last month that at least two river dredges are operating illegally in the Kuyuwini River in areas that were declared no mining zones. The South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) had expressed alarm at the destruction being caused to the largely pristine area by the gold mining operations and the Ministry of Natural Resources had launched an investigation.
Yesterday, Dennison told Stabroek News that he had passed directives to remove the dredges to his officers and is currently awaiting a formal report from them on what the exercise has yielded.
He explained that the officers were given a boat and instructed to visit the area and take the necessary action to stop the dredges from operating and have them removed from the river.
Dennison had previously told Stabroek News that the agency was aware of the dredges in the river and had issued “citations.” He had said that the issue is a recurring one and was being addressed by the GGMC.
SRDC Chairman Nicholas Fredericks had told this newspaper that based on information gathered, the two “draggas” were engaged in mining operations up the river beyond the fourth parallel of latitude mark.
There is a directive that forbids riving mining south of the fourth parallel. He had called on the GGMC to swiftly address the situation.
In addition, Fredericks said that they had also received reports of another dredge working further down the Kuyuwini River, approximately 125 miles from Parabara.
The group had raised concerns when the construction of one of the dredges began in December 2018. Fredericks had explained that their concerns were registered with the GGMC and Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman. In the communication received from Trotman and GGMC, Fredericks said, it was indicated that the authorities cannot intervene and stop the construction of the dredge since there is no law that allows for such action.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and the GGMC had both indicated to the South Rupununi group that they will not be granting permission to the miners to work in areas where mining is not permitted.
Fredericks had said that from his observation, at least 17 miles of palm trees were wiped out from the river since the dredge has been operating there. This, he said, indicates a negative environmental impact since it is not trees alone that are destroyed but habitats for wildlife.
