…massive illegal mining, fishing and logging discovered on reservation
…centre believes persons took advantage of COVID-19 lockdown
—Police, MNR Corps of Wardens deployed

THE Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development has unearthed a number of illegal activities, including logging, gold mining, hunting and fishing within the Iwokrama forest by persons whom are believed to have taken advantage of the country’s COVID-19 lockdown measures to engage in the illegal activities.

A notice issued by Iwokrama, on Tuesday, said that the centre, with the support of the Corps of Wardens of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Police Force, coordinated raids within the Iwokrama Forest.

“The Iwokrama International Centre has noted again with serious concern the proliferation of illegal activities in the Iwokrama Forest… In November 2019 we conducted an education and awareness activity, so the public should now be well aware of the boundaries of the Iwokrama Forest and permitted activities in the forest,” the notice said. It added that the teams found camps with several four inch dredges and substantive destruction of the forest floor.

“This was a marked increase in intensity from the usual one-man operation using metal detectors and a spade and is of grave concern to the centre. These activities, the centre believes, are being perpetuated by individuals taking advantage of the current restrictions and lockdown protocols established to combat the COVID–19 virus,” the notice said.
The centre reminded the public and other stakeholders that these activities are not allowed in the Iwokrama Forest unless the centre gives expressed written permission for any of these activities to be undertaken.

“Specifically, section two of the clause titled “Control of the Programme Site” of the Iwokrama Act states: Subject to section 6(1), and notwithstanding anything in any other written law – (a) no mining, forestry or other resources utilisation activity shall be carried out on the Programme Site by any person other than the centre, except with the prior written permission of the centre; and

(b) no lease of land or permission to use land in the Programme Site shall be issued by any person other than the centre, and all activities on the Programme Site shall be in accordance with regulations prescribed therefor under this Act,” the notice stated.
It pointed out that Section three prescribes the penalties:

“Any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection (2) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of one hundred thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a period of one year, and where the offence is of a continuing nature, to a further fine not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars for each day during which the offence continues after conviction.”

Iwokrama said that it has already imposed penalties on one errant tourism operator “who was caught illegally logging in the Iwokrama Forest and a gold miner who was arrested and placed before the courts.”

Iwokrama noted that it has spent enough time and resources on education and awareness with regard to these illegal activities in the Iwokrama Forest and is continuing its zero tolerance approach to these activities, especially the gold mining and logging operations.

“The centre’s monitoring team, together with the regulatory institutions in Guyana, including but not limited to the Natural Resources Corps of Wardens, Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency will continue to undertake regular monitoring and enforcement activities within the environs of the Iwokrama Forest and the centre will also be rigidly enforcing the prescribed penalties under the Iwokrama Act and other laws of Guyana to any person(s) found illegally operating in the Iwokrama Forest,” the notice said.

DRONE TECHNOLOGY
In addition, the centre said it is installing cameras in certain areas and has also acquired a drone with facial recognition software for remote aerial monitoring. It said too that a monitoring station will also be strategically placed to monitor boat traffic in these areas.

“Iwokrama believes in the development of the hinterland region of Guyana which provides livelihoods for many Guyanese but at the same time, all activities must be done within the confines of the Laws of Guyana,” said Iwokrama. The centre is offering a reward for any information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of persons(s) involved in illegal activities in the Iwokrama Forest. “The Centre will also be following up on information it received on specific mining operators who we have been told have been working in the Iwokrama Forest. Any arrests will be fully publicised,” the notice said.