Non-profit group, Visit Rupununi, has joined the Region Nine Chairman, Bryan Allicock in objecting to plans by Sol Nascente Incorporated to do mining in Aranaputa, a village in North Rupununi.

Allicock is objecting to the project on the grounds that no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was done ahead of an agreement reportedly signed between Sol Nascente Incorporated and the Aranaputa Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

In a statement today, Visit Rupununi expressed deep concern that in addition to absence of an EIA or ESIA, the residents of the region, who are likely to be directly and indirectly affected by the project, were not consulted.

“Visit Rupununi holds a firm and unwavering position that mining of this nature has no place  anywhere in the Rupununi Regardless of the outcome of any environmental or social assessments, we believe that mining near communities or inhabited areas will inevitably result in the destruction of lives, ecosystems and the region’s long-term prosperity,” the organization said.

It said the consequences of mining near communities are grave with long-term impacts from environmental degradation and health hazards to cultural disruption and the erosion of sustainable livelihoods for future generations.

“The people of the Rupununi have long chosen a different path, prioritizing the conservation of our unique landscapes and cultures while building a sustainable economy through eco-tourism and responsible land stewardship,” Visit Rupununi said.

In wake of the agreement, the group is calling for the suspension of the project, transparent and genuine consultations with the affected communities and a national dialogue on safeguarding Rupununi from destructive activities that undermine its people and environment.

It said it will continue to advocate for development that places communities, culture, and conservation at its core.

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