MINISTER of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNR&E), Robert Persaud, has promised tough action against persons who commit offences against the environment, whether in the mining and forestry industries, or in or near residential areas by virtue of improper disposal of garbage.

He made the position of the ministry clear during a review of the natural resources and environmental sector which looked at the performance of the various sub-sectors during 2012.
The review was held at the Umana Yana yesterday and the programme included presentations by Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dr. Indarjit Ramdassand and Commissioner of the Protected Areas Commission (PAC) Mr. Damian Fernandes on management of the environment by their departments.
Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (ag), Mr. Rickford Vieira, and Commissioner of the Guyana Forestry Commission, Mr James Singh made presentations on management of natural resources.
In a feature address Minister Persaud said that ensuring compliance with the rules and regulations for gold mining and forestry, supporting technological innovations for more efficient resource extraction and environmental friendly operations, and helping operators to raise the quality of their operations to international standards would be the main areas of priority for the ministry in 2013.
He identified enhancing stakeholder involvement in natural resources extraction and environmental management at every level, and stern action on improper garbage disposal as two others.
He noted that the extractive industries in the natural resources sector had made some solid achievements during 2012, citing the gold mining sector’s record production of gold as a case in point.
He said, “But we also had a lot of gaps and fixing these gaps will be our preoccupation in 2013. We intend to and will be strengthening compliance and enforcement in the natural resources sector”.
He stressed that a major priority of the ministry in 2013 will be to ensure that there is an acceptable level of compliance with the mining and forestry regulations by persons operating in these sectors.
He emphasized, “Activities in the natural resources sector must make business sense, but at the same time we must look at our social as well as our environmental responsibilities and must not ever shirk our responsibilities in this regard”.
He said that the ministry will try to involve all operators and stakeholders in the extractive industries in   terms of voluntary compliance and will try to avoid a top down approach as much as possible, but will not hesitate to take harsh punitive action against the recalcitrant this year.
On the issue of technological innovation, he said that such actions as finding more efficient ways of processing gold outside of mercury can lead to recovery rates of up to 95%, thereby doubling the productive capacity of the miner without increasing his operational costs.
With modernised technology, better methods of recovery can also be achieved in the forestry sector in terms of the processing of felled trees.
And better technology is needed for management of the environment as it relates to the extractive industries.
He cited the case of dust pollution from bauxite production at Linden as a case in point, where the necessary investment must be made for protection of the environment and the people who live there.
On the issue of improper disposal of garbage, he noted that all Guyanese are aware of the problems of aesthetics caused by improper garbage disposal and the health hazards associated with it.
“We have had initiatives such as Pick it up Guyana and people get involved in groups and carry out campaigns and so on. Everybody knows that they must not dump garbage. So it is not a matter of lack of public awareness but a matter of rigid enforcement of the laws against offenders”, he said.
He disclosed that the legislation related to garbage dumping is to be revised; but in the short term the ministry will be employing environmental wardens and establishing a system of the issuance of tickets to garbage dumpers which will entail them having to pay fines in a system similar to that applied to traffic offenders.
He warned, “We will be going after Local Government entities who are supposed to be doing things, including the City Council of Georgetown. We will be taking them to the courts. This is fair warning, so no one will scream and run for cover when they are hauled before the court. We must get people to comply, to keep our environment free of unsightly garbage, regardless of whether they are individuals or big businesses or industries. Punitive action against improper garbage disposal will be a major priority of the ministry this year”.
He also advised that people who think that their political allegiances give them license for lawlessness are in for a surprise, since the ministry will stick to its task of protecting the environment, regardless of the political affiliations or affinities of the offender.
He said that the five priority areas are the immediate tasks for operators and stakeholders in the natural resources and environment sector.
He stressed that there was need to ensure that the sector is developed in a way that is responsive to national development and good for Guyana; and in this matter all must be fully involved regardless of political, cultural or religious persuasion.