DESPITE the many efforts made by the Government of Guyana to deter persons from removing seashells and mangrove from along the seacoast, some seem bent on continuing to do so.
This was evidently the case recently when the Guyana Chronicle caught up with a man on the Georgetown seawall who gave his name only as Somair.
Somair was removing large quantities of seashell from the coastline and loading it onto a donkey cart for delivery to one of his clients.
Ironically, Somair was at the time just a stone’s throw away from the ‘Mangroves save the sea line’ billboard, which seeks to advise against the very act he was committing.
With his cart already loaded with seashell and haphazardly parked along the Rupert Craig Highway, adjacent to the Russian Embassy, and several loaded bags still on the seawall, Somair was far from calling it a day, as he was still filling more bags, while several additional empty ones lay waiting their turn to be filled up with the precious commodity.
When asked about his trade and if he was aware that it was illegal for him to be removing shell from the seashore, the man replied in the affirmative saying that it was his only means of earning a daily bread, and that it is a job he has been doing  for a number of years.
He also admitted that although his trade was illegal, he will continue at it since he earns good money on a daily basis delivering shell to selected buyers.
Asked whether he wasn’t afraid of being caught, since it was the middle of the day, the seashell tradesman said while he was cognisant of the fact that he could be reported, charged and placed before the court, he prefers that time of day for his activities since the heat of the afternoon coupled with low tide makes it much easier to carry the dry shell.
He disclosed that on average, one bag of shell can fetch at least $200, and that ten bags would be a “rock-bottom” order, as customers usually order as much as fifty bags of shell.
He averages that on a daily basis, he would get at least three to five orders from persons living within and on the outskirts of the city.
Clients, he said, would usually call him by telephone to place their orders. When the Guyana Chronicle called the number Somair gives his clients, a young man answered and explained that Somair was not at home at the time, but that he lives on the upper flat.
According to Mr. Geoffrey Vaughn of the Ministry of Public Works and Communication (Works Services Group/Sea Defence Division), any removal of earth, shell etc. from the sea defence is considered to be a very serious offence, which is stipulated in the Sea Defence Act chapter 64:01, 64:02.
That Act makes provision for any person or persons caught removing earth or shell from the seashore to be charged and placed before the courts, where a fine of $30,000 and up to six months imprisonment can be imposed.