In an effort to clamp down on mining in Protected Areas, Government has launched a joint services operation in the Kaieteur National Park (KNP), where the Protected Areas Commission (PAC) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) had discovered, through aerial reconnaissance, 20 illegal mining camps.
On Sunday, an operation by members of the joint services as well as personnel from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) was launched, following an initial discovery of four active mines, one mine where activity was uncertain, and eight active camps inside the KNP by the PAC on February 16, 2017.
Of the five mines, three had already been issued cease orders by the GGMC in 2014 with reinforcement actions as recent as 2016. Despite this and two site visits by the GGMC, following the issuance of the cease orders, at least two of the three mines still remained active.
A further reconnaissance by the GDF on May 5, 2017, less than three weeks ago, revealed that there were, at that time, 20 camps. At one site,there was evidence of water pollution and freshly exposed sand tailings according to a report from the PAC. Commissioner of the PAC, Ms. Denise Fraser, in an invited comment, said illegal mining in the area has been taking place for a number of years despite repeated warnings. Predating the above mentioned cease orders there had been efforts in 2013 to end mining activity in the Park.
As a result of the raid on Sunday by the members of the joint services, five camps were searched and the persons present detained. It is reported that the dredge owners were not present during the time of the raid. Twenty-one persons have been detained by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for illegal mining in the KNP. However, Ms. Fraser said that the PAC has been in contact with the Ministry of Natural Resources as well as the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs to ensure that the detainees have access to food and are taken care of while in custody. She noted that once released, the PAC will work with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs to provide accommodation, where necessary.
Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Raphael Trotman, in an invited comment, said that the KNP is a national protected area and it is incumbent on the Government to send a strong message to those who are bent on breaking the law. The Minister noted that only last year six operators were removed from the area.