Over the past two weeks, miners from Georgetown, Lethem and Brazil have returned to the Marudi Mountain area in the South Rupununi and it is a “a hell hole right now,” according to South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) chairman Nicholas Fredericks.
Fredericks told the Sunday Stabroek that he does not know whether or not they have permission to mine.
“Socially and environmentally, it is impacting on the life of the surrounding communities. We are now seeing the impact. All the creeks are polluted. People have a lot more mercury in their system. The miners are back and everything is chaotic,” he said in an interview on Thursday.
Fredericks, who is also the Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), explained that just over a year ago, with assistance from the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, residents from four communities Shulinab, Karaudarnau, Aishalton and Para Bara—underwent mercury tests.
