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“The floating gold factories in the reservoir in the Brokopondo District are conducting a study to determine the degree of mercury pollution in the area,” Natural Resources Minister Regillio Dodson told Parliament on Tuesday. The National Information Institute (NII) had previously indicated that the minister explained that the vessels are removing the mercury. But the minister’s recent statement indicated that this is not yet the case. “An unfortunate choice of words,” said Minister Dodson who added that one can’t just start the huge task of removing mercury. The minister deemed it regrettable that there was a lot of fuss after two active pontoons were sighted in the reservoir. He acknowledged that the government should have informed the people including the owner of Tonka island of the activities of the pontoons outside of the Sara Creek.

Minister Dodson told legislators that the owners of the pontoons which are generally referred to as skalians had offered to make an assessment of the mercury pollution in the reservoir. They made this gesture after they had collected huge quantities of mercury during their activities in the Sara Creek. They also noticed the same thing when they started removing the dams that had been constructed near the shore of the lake by gold miners. The pontoon owners will reportedly conduct the study in 4 areas until February 15. “We have also discussed what must happen when mercury or gold are found.”