THE Ministry of Natural Resources announced Friday that it has reached the end of its tether and begun taking action against errant miners bent on polluting the Walabaka Creek and its environs despite being warned repeatedly against doing so.
The crackdown reportedly began on Monday, May 4, when a Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC)-led enforcement team, supported by members of the Guyana Police Force, was deployed to the Walabaka area to take the necessary action, and has resulted in “more than 15 pieces of mining equipment, including engines, excavators and pumps” being seized.
According to a release from the ministry, “the Walabaka Basin has been a source of concern since late 2024 due to persistently high levels of turbidity, commonly referred to as muddy water, resulting from mining activity within the area.”
It said that “over the past several months, the Mines Technical and Environmental Departments of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) have been working with operators to improve the containment of tailings and prevent the release of sediment-laden water into nearby waterways.
But despite their best efforts, “some errant miners have continued to directly discharge tailings and release turbid water from holding ponds into the Walabaka Creek”, which has had “a direct impact on Pump Creek, where the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) pumps water for treatment and distribution to residents of Port Kaituma.”
On the intervention of Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat and Minister of Housing Collin Croal on April 26, “the errant miners were given two weeks to bring their operations into compliance and were clearly advised that failure to take corrective action would result in consequences.”
Things would come to a head when hundreds of residents of Port Kaituma were affected by GWI’s inability to supply water due to the high levels of turbidity caused by the continued action of the irresponsible miners.
According to the release, “the Ministry of Natural Resources wishes to make it clear that while mining remains an important pillar of Guyana’s economy, it must be conducted responsibly and in full compliance with the law. Operators are required to take all necessary steps to prevent environmental damage, protect water sources and safeguard the health and well-being of communities.
In closing, the ministry said that it will, “through the GGMC continue to monitor the Walabaka drainage basin and other mining areas across the country to ensure compliance with environmental and mining regulations. Operators who continue to act in disregard of the law will be held accountable.”
It also sought to “assure the residents of Port Kaituma and surrounding communities that their concerns are being treated with urgency,” and that “the Government of Guyana remains committed to ensuring that mining development does not come at the expense of public health, clean water access, or environmental protection”.
