Army helps miner recover stolen fuel

Army ranks posted at the border areas with Venezuela recovered drums of fuel on Friday, one day after they were stolen by soldiers of that neighboring country, in what has been said to be an escalating situation. According to an official of the affected mining operation, ranks of the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) accompanied the general manager of the camp over to the Venezuela side of the border, across the Cuyuni River. There, after engagements with the National Guard personnel, it was agreed that the five drums of fuel would be returned. “We did not receive the money they took from the boat. They said they did not take any money.” According to a statement from the miners to local police and the GDF, on Thursday, around 4.30pm, they were proceeding to camp along the Cuyuni River in the vicinity of Akarabisi when they were approached by the Venezuela National Guard. The Venezuelans were in a white wooden boat. “The Venezuela National Guard pointed their guns at us and ordered us over to the Venezuela side of the border where they have their base.” According to the statement, the mining workers were searched and one of them was stripped of his clothing. The National Guards ranks searched the fuel boat which had 15 drums of diesel. The fuel had been purchased from a place called San Martin, across in Venezuela, further up river. The National Guards found US$130 and $210,000 in a bucket on the boat and took these, the miners said. The National Guards also took five drums of diesel from the boat, leaving 10 behind. The incident has been reported to the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan.

The situation along the Venezuelan border with Guyana has been tense for a while now as armed gangs known as the Syndicatos and soldiers man the Cuyuni River, which separates the two countries, forcing boats to pay for permission to pass.

For fuel boats, the Syndicatos and now National Guards are demanding one pint per drum of fuel.

(Kaieteurn News Online)