Guyana has had a long tortuous history with extractive industries. From the heydays of bauxite to the steady allure of a wealthy oil nation, the pursuit of these finite resources has resulted in environmental health and citizen wellbeing constantly being put on the backburner. While there are clear strategies to decrease the harm of gold mining on people and ecosystems, very little ever gets done.
Gold mining has brought with it the destruction of entire ecosystems, as large scale clearing of forests is regularly undertaken. In the wake of mining activities one can always find lifeless craters and dangerous open pits spanning for miles across several regions. The gold mining industry paints a really grim picture of the harm both regulated and illegal industries can have on entire communities. Continue reading
Water versus gold at Port Kaituma – commentary
Water versus gold at Port Kaituma
Mining for gold
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 · Stabroek News – Editorial
Two weeks ago, residents of Port Kaituma and nearby areas began to complain bitterly about the pollution of their water supplies by miners working upstream. In the past few years such complaints from various parts of the country have been numerous and a reflection of the wanton disregard of miners for the riparian rights of citizens in these areas. Miners have become emboldened by the increasing weight of the economy attributable to their mineral returns and the ineffectiveness of the government and its regulatory bodies at reining in environmental pollution.
How did the government respond to the concerns of the Port Kaituma residents? Well, it seems that the Minister of Natural Resources Robert Persaud had been in the area for mining week activities and upon hearing of the concerns he announced that the ministry would make available G$80m (US$400,000), to the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) for the construction of a water treatment plant. Continue reading →
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