PRIME Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips; Minister of Public Works. Bishop Juan Edghill, and Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat visited Region 10, where they were briefed by the management of BOSAI Mines and met with the family members of Neptrind Hercules, who went missing following an accident at the mines.

Prime Minister Phillips and the ministers were briefed on the ongoing search and rescue operation currently underway since early Saturday morning.

During a programme on Hits and Jams radio in Linden, the Prime Minister said: “This is a fact-finding mission as to what occurred in the East Montgomery mines very early on Saturday morning.

“We had a briefing from the management of BOSAI and an opportunity to meet and interact with the family of Mr. Hercules. We made some assurances to the family as well as give some directives to BOSAI’s management.”

The Prime Minister said immediately after the incident, a search and rescue operation was launched and remains in force.

“I know that there were some concerns that in the evening the search was suspended and that was purely based on the safety concerns for the search party – it was suspended late at night because we have been advised by the competent authority and agencies such as the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) that we should suspend the search – it was suspended only for the night and started again at 5:00 hours the next morning,” he assured listeners.

Meanwhile, Minister Edghill said: “What is clear is that BOSAI has suspended all operations in the mines and all the manpower that is available are on site, this is to ensure that the search and rescue remains on-going without interruptions. Secondly, it is still and active search and rescue operation and we need to emphasise that and we have communicated that to the family.”

The Public Works Minister said that the search and rescue team and management of BOSAI remain committed to the operation given the relationship many shared with Hercules over the years as colleagues.

Minister Bharrat added: “This is not a matter that we are taking lightly…we will ensure that everything is done to make sure that we move forward with what needs to be done …we will strengthen our regulatory systems in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, which has been on site since day one.”

According to BOSAI, the accident occurred at its East Montgomery mines around 4:00 hours on Saturday, March 11. (DPI)