Guyana observed World Environment Day today with a call by President David Granger for better care of the environment by everyone.

An an official event at State House, President Granger said Guyana faces environmental threats to fresh air, clean water and the bountiful earth, noting that the rivers are being polluted by reckless river-mining.

He said the proliferation of plastic waste, especially single-use plastics, has compromised our drainage systems and precipitated floods.

“Careless solid waste management and irresponsible human habits have led to widespread littering and threats to public health”, he noted.

But the President said his government is moving to address the concerns while ensuring the protection of the environment.

The President told those gathered that his government “has taken steps to protect human life by safeguarding the environment”, adding that it is committed to preventing pollution and ecological degradation by preventing the contamination of our waterways, phasing-out the importation of single-use plastics and improving solid waste management”.

World Environment Day was observed internationally on the 5th June. At the official observation in Guyana this morning, President Granger zeroed in on the mining sector.

He said the protection of the world’s freshwater sources is essential to ensuring people’s right to water; community access to safe and sanitary water and water security.

“Gold mining is impacting adversely on our rivers. The dreadful ‘draga’ dredges used in gold mining are degrading our river banks and increasing the turbidity of our rivers. Effluent from gold mining has been contaminating our rivers”, President Granger said.

He also said the mercury which is used in the amalgamation process in gold-mining has found its way into the country’s waterways and presents a threat to aquatic systems and our biodiversity.

President Granger said Guyana remains committed to the goal of reducing mercury emissions by 55 per cent within the next five years and to eliminate mercury use by 2027.

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