– Min. Natural Resources says steps being taken to remove equipment

DISPELLING the allegation that a water dredge in the Kuyuwini River will soon go into mining operation, Ministry of Natural Resources said the equipment called the ‘dragga’ has not been in operation, and active steps are being taken to remove it from the location.
Last week, South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) contended that the water dredge remains a threat to the Parabara Village in the South Rupununi, and should have been long removed given orders issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

On Tuesday, the Natural Resources Ministry, in an attempt to offer clarity on the matter, disclosed that on September 10, a meeting between the operator and GGMC resulted in an agreement to ship fuel into the area so as to activate the machine for removal.
“The fuel supply which was temporarily stored at Couradinau was lost to a mysterious fire. Another shipment has since been mobilised,” the ministry said.

Failure to remove the water dredge within a specified timeframe will result in the GGMC seizing control of the machine. “Should this not be done in the agreed time, the GGMC will employ its own expertise and resources and effect removal of the structure,” the ministry warned.

Putting the matter into perspective, it explained that upon learning of the machine in the area, it launched an investigation along with the GGMC. That investigation resulted in an ‘Order to Remove’ being issued in June, 2019. “A follow up visit was made in late August. During the visit Mining Engineer, Donnell Perry, and Mines Officer, Nial Gravesande, observed one river dredge parked on the left side of the Kuyuwini River. There were no signs of disturbance of the river banks or turbid water and the dredge showed no signs of being worked recently. On the part of the GGMC and the ministry, there is evidence from pictures of the dredge and the observance that the dredge has not operated,” the Natural Resources Ministry detailed.

It was keen on pointing out that at the time, there was no fuel present and insufficient skilled manpower to effect immediate removal of the dredge from the location. It was on that basis that an agreement was reached to have fuel shipped into the area to operationalise the ‘dragga’ for its removal.