Steady environment management improvement seen at Omai - EPA Possibility of spill recurrence very small - Bertilsson Spolight on issues - Stories by Andrew Richards Stabroek News September 9, 2000 This week we look at the massive cyanide waste spill at Omai Gold Mines Limited five years later. Introduction Stabroek News met with the Executive Director and the Operations Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently to speak on the monitoring aspect of Omai Gold Mines Ltd's operations five years after the massive cyanide waste spill at its Essequibo mining site. This newspaper had sought an interview with Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who holds the mining portfolio for the government but Mr Hinds declined. Below are some of the views expressed by the EPA officials. The EPA is of the view that there has been steady improvement of the environmental management of Omai Gold Mines Ltd's (OGML) operations. One of the main matters coming out of the cyanide waste spill was the construction of a new tailings dam. Operations Director of the EPA, Denise Fraser, told this newspaper that based on the experience of the old tailings pond careful examination had to be done of the new design. An Environmental Impact Assessment was done for the new dam and was approved by the EPA. A discharge criterion for the effluent was set and a contingency plan, which lays out the risks involved and the responses in the event of any incident, had to be established by the company. EPA's executive director, Per Bertilsson, noted that OGML hopes to acquire ISO 14001 certification on its environmental management system before the end of the year which have quite rigorous requirements in place. He said in relation to monitoring of the Omai operations, this is done on a monthly basis jointly with the company. Soil and water samples are taken and tests conducted. The results of the EPA tests are compared with those of OGML to check for disparities and to determine whether they comply with the criteria set by the monitoring agency. Bertilsson said the company does day-to-day monitoring and is in regular contact with the EPA. OGML also prepares a monthly report for the EPA. Every two months, meetings comprising the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), OGML and the EPA are held to review the company's activities. The EPA and GGMC had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which set out how the two agencies would work together on environmental matters. Fraser said there is ongoing collaboration between the EPA and GGMC. She said a survey of the aquatic life in the area affected by the spill done by University of Guyana scientists in 1998 concluded that life had returned to normal. This survey was not available for scrutiny by Stabroek News. "There were no long lasting effects. There now are mechanisms in place to prevent another spill. These mechanisms are systematically being built up. The likelihood of a recurrence is very small," Bertilsson said. Some new stipulations installed after the spill included an environmental monitoring plan and the contingency plan for the larger operations. "Definitely there is a need for additional mining regulations. It will be an ongoing process. But we must proceed carefully and ensure they are workable and of sound basis," Fraser stated. "The EPA is not here to close down mining operations." She said discussions on the new mining regulations are ongoing but felt it would take some time before a final draft is formulated. This she blamed on the lack of resources and the gathering of the necessary scientific data. It was her opinion that two important areas the new regulations should address are tailings management and the closure of mines. Bertilsson said an important aspect in environmental monitoring is public awareness. There is a whole section of the EPA dedicated to information sharing and training, he said. "I see there is a need for the people in Guyana to be more aware of environmental issues. The people need to know it's their business. We need to change the attitude that it is somebody else's problem. This is crucial," the EPA head declared. August spill was a colossal disaster - Josh Ramsammy Is contaminant still in river beds? Could the Omai spill be prevented? Were there tell-tale signs before the incident which indicated a disaster was waiting to happen? These were some of the questions asked in the aftermath of the cyanide spill which occurred in August 1995, due to the fact that there was a smaller spill into the Omai river just three months before. "Notwithstanding what the various people have said and what the so-called analyses have shown, that [last spill] was a colossal disaster because of the nature of the contaminant released," current Pro-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr Joshua Ramsammy said in an interview with Stabroek News recently. He argued there was a concentration of the pollutant because of the recycling process used by the company in its operations. He said that after three years of operations there would have been a huge build up of pollutants, not only cyanide but also heavy metals which are extremely poisonous, in the slurry that escaped into the rivers. "No-one knows what has happened to the residual contaminants. Is it still in the river beds? Has it entered into the ground water in the area? Has it been incorporated into the plant and animal life in the forest?" Dr Ramsammy queried. He felt that people have to recognise that mining is one of the most destructive operations to the environment in the world today. Most of the damage is irreversible, especially when the chemical solutions used in the operations are taken into account. "One has to assume that those pollutants would have to have escaped to some part of the environment. The chemical methods available to trace the pollutants are inadequate," Dr Ramsammy, who was the secretary of the now defunct Guyana Environmental Monitoring and Conservation Organisation (GEM-CO) in existence at the time, said. He said GEMCO was able to show the Commission of Enquiry that Omai was misrepresenting the facts with the data the company had come up with. "Guyana does not have the capacity nor the capability to monitor what is taking place in the environment. In this particular case, government had to rely on the data produced by the people who were polluting the environment," he pointed out. He noted that since the spill there have been efforts to improve environmental monitoring but the level of sophistication required to challenge the polluters was not available. He acknowledged that work is done where samples are collected for testing but a careful examination needs to be done on the level of expertise available and the integrity of the monitoring process. Painting what could be a typical scenario, Dr Ramsammy said when water and soil samples are collected in the interior areas, they have to be transported to Georgetown for testing. "The sample may have deteriorated during that time so you don't know the true value of the pollution," he said. He contended that even though samples are stored in containers, there are always processes occurring inside them which lead to their deterioration. "One of things people are misled by is all the argument about the levels of pollution. But what is happening over time is the irreversible physical destruction of the environment-removal of vegetation, destroying the soil conditions and injecting various levels of pollutants into the soil and air," he declared. He claimed no-one knows the "resident time" of the pollutants in an area and that of the heavy metals which were not easily dissipated. Dr Ramsammy noted that after the first spill in May, the Walcott Review Committee had recommended certain maximum levels of cyanide for the discharge from the tailings pond at Omai but this was not adhered to. After the August spill there was much debate over the level of cyanide concentration in the affected rivers. "People tend to say that the cyanide would be diluted as it went down the river, but what about the accumulative impact over the years?" Dr Ramsammy asked. "When these pollutants affect the human communities they do so in a chronic way-small doses which escape immediate notice but there is an accumulative effect over time. There is truly no way of assessing the extent of the negative impact of environmental degradation caused by mining." He pointed out that large areas are left desolate when the mines are closed and remain unproductive for a long time. There is no guarantee that would protect the communities in the area from the effects of the operations after the mine has outlived its usefulness, he asserted. One recommendation would be to scale back on the mining operations in Guyana but this would conflict with the economic considerations. "But the point is when we are talking about the environment we cannot compromise. I think ultimately all of humanity would have to have new paradigms of progress. It can no longer be the amount of jewellery people wear that serve as a measure of economic progress. It would have to be the safety of the environment that would come first," Dr Ramsammy declared. Dr Ramsammy has been involved in preparatory work on Guyana's Environmental Action Plan and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. He was also involved in the drafting of the National Bio-diversity Action Plan. His work was done at the level of the formulation of policies and programmes. Over 500 lawsuits still pending Omai wants total settlement - Bhagwan Hundreds of lawsuits were filed against Omai Gold Mines Ltd (OGML) after the spill. The majority of the court proceedings were filed by persons living in the areas affected by the slurry which wended its way down the Essequibo river. Attorney-at-law Moses Bhagwan has lodged over 500 claims against the company on behalf of clients. He began to institute legal proceedings against OGML not long after the spill. Claims consisted of those filed by loggers, hunters, farmers, traders, miners, and fishermen. "It was the pollution of rivers and tributaries of unprecedented proportions. It had an immediate devastating effect on the social, economic and financial activities on a vast number of people directly and the communities as a whole," Bhagwan stated. He said for the period the area was declared a disaster zone, many persons lost income because they could not have carried on normal economic activities. "Life for many has never been the same," the lawyer said. Discussions were initiated with lawyers representing the insurers of the company, Bhagwan said, and a process to deal with all the claims was agreed upon. He revealed that the parties involved were close to a full settlement following a meeting in Miami three years ago. However, this fell through when a class action suit was filed around the same time by Recherches Internationales Quebec in Canada. The group had filed on behalf of 23,000 persons. A court in Canada subsequently declined jurisdiction. "Since the negotiation mechanism was disrupted, the process has been tedious, painful and generally unproductive," Bhagwan said. He disclosed that one of the difficulties now faced was the insistence by the company on a total settlement. Agreements were reached on a large number of claims but there were still 76 outstanding. According to Bhagwan, OGML was not prepared to make any payment on the others until all were settled. "It would not be fair for me to go into the positions we had taken during the negotiation process. But I hope it will be expedited and an agreement reached in a short time. The people affected have been very patient," he said. He pointed out that OGML had given a public commitment accepting liability. On the government's position in the entire matter Bhagwan had this to say: "I'm very disappointed that the government, which happens to be a shareholder of the company, had done little by way of scientific investigation of the immediate, medium, and long-term consequences of the pollution of the Essequibo river and some of its tributaries. And there is also the failure by the government to consider the risk of continuing the discharge of cyanide waste into the rivers." Bhagwan felt there was not sufficient attention given by the government and the relevant agencies to the problem of pollution of the Essequibo river and its tributaries. "I'm also disappointed that government, as a shareholder, has shown very little interest in ensuring the full and adequate compensation of all of the victims," he stated. He noted that Third World countries such as Guyana were vulnerable to the more powerful nations which have the distinct advantage in dealing with governments who "tend to bend over backwards to accommodate investment at any cost." He pointed out, too, that the victims of the spill were poor and were no match in the legal process against the huge resources at the disposal of multinational companies such as Cambior. The lawyer declared that Guyana was far behind other countries with regards the control and management of pollution and waste discharge by mining companies and manufacturing/ industrial establishments. Life has returned to normal - McLean Sees no long-term effect Five years ago, August, the people living on the banks of the Essequibo river were gripped with fear over the potential damage the cyanide spill from the Omai mines would cause. Today Omai Gold Mines Ltd (OGML) remains adamant that there is no long-term effect. Life has returned to normal, it says, and there is no reason for the hype which surrounded the spill. "The impact of the spill was not what was originally thought," OGML's Human Resources Manager, Norman McLean told Stabroek News in an interview. McLean said the people got "carried away" over the discolouration of the Essequibo river during the spill. This effect was due to the saprolite used in the construction of the tailings dam which got washed away into the waterways. The reddish-brown colour which overpowered the Omai river and part of the Essequibo is associated with the use of cyanide. This was what had everyone concerned over the perceived level of the poison in the waterways. The company said the cyanide concentration in the Essequibo river was way below the level for drinking water standards. Mechanisms were put in place before the company resumed operations on February 4, 1996, to prevent any recurrence of a spill. The effluent treatment plant and the holding pond were originally in the company's plans before the spill but were installed afterwards. What is new is the spigotting method adopted and the design of the new tailings dam. Omai also had an environmental programme in place before the spill. This was one of the requirements of the lending institutions before credit is approved. "Once you're gonna borrow money from the banks internationally you have to come up with an environmental impact statement and you have to have a programme for the environment," McLean asserted. He said the company has gone even further to pursue the ISO 14001 certification on environmental monitoring systems which it hopes to obtain this year. For the standard to be achieved, each department of the company's operations has to be analysed to determine the risk involved during the course of its functions. "The spill has brought about a real awareness of the environment generally and the impact mining and other activities could have on it. I think there is greater awareness of the risks," McLean said. He noted that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has since come into being and, with it, additional legislation to regulate the industry. Three committees were set up to conduct studies on the impact of the spill. They were the process review committee, tailings dam committee and the environment audit committee. The first committee examined the process used by the company to extract gold and the feasibility of alternative methods but concluded that the use of cyanide was the best and least costly. "The committee established quite clearly that there was no other process which is better than the use of cyanide [in extracting gold]. Ninety-five per cent of the gold produced in the world is done so by the use of cyanide. The other five per cent is produced by mercury," McLean stated. He noted that mercury was not biodegradable and it was found that cyanide was safer and more economical to use. There were several features added to the new tailings dam. The company has employed a new technique called spigotting. Using this method, all the waste material coming from the mill enters the dam via a pipe which empties the gravel and cyanide-laced water into a perforated pipe that is installed in the tailings pond. This pipe is movable and is positioned in various areas around the pond so that the solution coming out of the mill is distributed in an even manner throughout the pond. The result leaves the dam with a beach-like effect. The new dam is three times the size of the failed tailings dam. It is built entirely with compacted saprolite unlike the former one which had three tiers comprising of, first, a rip-rap design, then a filter followed by the saprolite. McLean is confident that the new dam is accident-proof. "I tell people, if you have a failure in this [dam] you can forget about Omai. Our credibility will be shot for good," he stated. "The life of Omai depends on the integrity of this dam. If we have a failure here you could forget it. I wouldn't be able to face anybody. After five years there is great confidence in what we have. We are meeting all the environmental standards required by government and even surpassing them." The government has approved the discharge of effluent into the holding pond at 700 gallons per minute. The effluent from the tailings dam is channelled to the holding pond where it is tested to determine the cyanide concentration before being discharged in the Essequibo river. McLean noted that the Omai location experiences heavy precipitation which causes a build-up of water in the tailings pond, hence the approved rate of discharge. However, the company discharges at a rate of 400 gallons per minute. Unlike any other gold mine in the world Omai has to satisfy the discharge criteria as established in the United States, Guyana and Canada collectively. For Canada, there is an end of pipe criterion. This means that the material coming out of the gold mill should not contain more than 1.5 parts per million (ppm) of cyanide. In the US there is the receiving water criterion where the effluent discharged into waterways have to be done ensuring that the area 100 metres below the discharge point is not more than 5.2 parts per billion of cyanide. In Guyana's case, the government has implemented a loading factor of not more than 25 kilogrammes of cyanide per day to be discharged into the waterways. From the holding pond, the effluent is discharged into the Essequibo river through a diffuser. The diffuser is 200 metres long and the effluent is pumped through 200 port holes in the diffuser pipe. McLean said the mill is operating the holding pond at 0.8 ppm. Cyanide is non-detectable from 50 metres below the discharge point and the company is operating far below the loading limit at a rate of 4.5 kilogrammes daily, McLean said. The effluent treatment plant was constructed at a cost of some US$3 million to treat waste before its discharge into the Essequibo river. In the plant, hydrogen peroxide, ferric sulphate and caustic soda are used to break down cyanide. But the company has not been using hydrogen peroxide in the process for over a year because the concentration of cyanide in the holding pond is way below the stipulated limit. Because of the effect of sunlight on the mill waste in the tailings pond, natural degradation of the cyanide occurs. If for any reason the material from the mill is more than the 1.5 ppm limit, it would be channelled to the effluent treatment plant to be broken down before being discharged. Ferric sulphate is used in the effluent treatment plant to clear up the solution, which McLean boasted is coming out of the plant like Tropical Mist-purified water sold by a local beverage company. The EPA conducts monthly checks at the Omai operation and samples the 38 wells at the mining site. Checks are made for permeation of the wells and for the existence of cyanide. Checks are also made for iron and copper content in the water. The samples are split between the company and the EPA so that the results could be compared. Spill could have been prevented - David Singh Monitoring and testing still need more resources The Omai cyanide spill could have been prevented but various specifications related to the tailings pond were not complied with, director of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST), Dr David Singh contends. "Omai had a lot of control over the way it did business in Guyana. It took the spill to make them become more responsible," Dr Singh, who was a consultant to the social and economic impact committee set up to review this aspect of the impact, said. One beneficial aspect of the whole incident was that the Guyanese professionals got to be involved in the decision-making process. Previously, leading up to the investment, Omai had full access to this process while the local technical people were not called upon for their contributions. "Prior to the incident, information just filtered down to us. We were not allowed any technical input. The spill provided a watershed for a large number of environmental issues to come to the fore," Dr Singh said. The establishment of the Environmental Protection Act was immediately placed on the front burner and was enacted the following year. "People began to realise, then, that if these issues were not taken seriously a lot of things could happen," he stated. After the spill, Omai volunteered US$100,000 in equipment to refurbish the Environmental Testing Laboratory at IAST. This was one of the biggest shortcomings of the administration at that time, Dr Singh said. "I do regret that, in spite of all of this, there is still not enough resources pumped into environmental testing and monitoring in Guyana," the IAST director stated. "I don't think we responded adequately to the Wenamu issue [in this regard]," he said, referring to an incident earlier this year where there was evidence of unauthorised cyanide use in a small scale operation. Omai had requested an increase in the discharge from the tailings pond because of the level of rainfall common to the area which increased the level of the slurry. Before the spill the company was already considering a second tailings pond. This plan had to be fast-tracked after the operations were suspended for the six months. The number two tailings pond was a part of the terms of resumption agreed between Omai and the government. Dr Singh, said, essentially, a detailed study on the water and sediment quality of the Essequibo and a partial survey of the aquatic life was done following the breakaway of the tailings dam. The findings revealed that after two weeks the cyanide had degraded in the sunlight and was also flushed out by the river water. Dr Singh stated, however, that some of the chemical remained lodged in residue. "This is understandable but it is still a grey area," Dr Singh stated. "My position is that we did not know enough about cyanide and its effects." He pointed out that the Essequibo river is heavily sedimented and there was some concern over this because sediment is a critical target for cyanide, coupled with the fact that aquatic life was exposed to the sediment. The decisions of the study were made based on the amount of water flow, and the initial concentration and volume of the discharge of the cyanide. "Back then we took a purely academic position on things but we have learnt a lot since then," Dr Singh said. There were no human fatalities as a result of the spill but there were reports of rashes appearing on the skins of people and the poisoning of fish. He explained that cyanide can be tested easily on tissue. It metabolises very rapidly and suffocates the system by replacing oxygen in the body. The body intake of cyanide is more rapid than that of oxygen. "The spill has made Guyana more conscious of environmental affairs but it's a pity that it had to happen this way. Omai has opened our eyes to these issues. We're doing a lot to manage the mining industry effectively but we're not certain on the stakeholders' involvement in the story", Singh said. His argument is that even though some effort is being made to strengthen the regulation of the mining industry, the miners must strive to be conscious of the environment at all times and the potential harmful possible effects due to bad practices. "We have to make those apart from the agencies be more responsible. What we're battling here is a culture of the way things are done," Dr Singh stated. He asserted that mining companies have a corporate responsibility to be environmentally conscious but stated there were many local miners who show no care for the environment. Dr Singh felt that the regulators are still a reactionary group. He cited the flooding in the city as an obvious case of this type of outlook. "The dams, kokers and conservancy are not being maintained. We're simply not putting the mechanisms in place," he stated. Omai has met probe enquiry obligations - EPA Director Part of Wenot Pit already reclaimed After the spill, a Commission of Enquiry was established to conduct a probe into the incident and make recommendations. Three committees were appointed to investigate various aspects of the incident. They were the Environmental Audit and Socio-Economic Assessment Committee, the Process Review Committee, and the Dam Review Committee. The Committees came up with recommendations following investigations. Operations director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Denise Fraser, said the company had to comply with the recommendations for it to be still in operation today. This was done and more, she said, as the company is now seeking ISO 14001 certification for environmental management systems. Some of the steps Omai Gold Mines Ltd (OGML) was required to meet arising out of the Commission of Enquiry were: (i) The integrity of the number two tailings pond must be ascertained and confirmed in writing for each phase by an independent geo-technical source at OGML's cost. (ii) The company was to by April, 1996, install an approved treatment facility before releasing any mill waste. The facility had to include a hydrogen peroxide oxidation facility, activated carbon columns, a 200-port diffuser in the Essequibo river, and a properly engineered clarifier. (iii) Review and test alternative treatment systems for cyanide wastes and implement the best available technology after consultation with government. (iv) Jointly plan and implement with government, a protocol for educating the populace to a sensible and rational understanding of cyanide and its effects. (vi) Commence tests on a regular and continuing basis of the quantities and concentrations of noxious substances released by OGML in accordance with the monitoring programme. (vii) Prepare a reclamation and closure plan for the entire mine site. (viii) Prepare and implement an approved closure plan for the number one tailings pond. Some recommendations arising out of the Environmental Audit Committee were: (i) Implement a progressive rehabilitation plan. (ii) Make available immediately emergency procedures, equipment, and antidotes in localities likely to be affected by cyanide contamination and possible poisoning. (iii) Commence testing immediately for ground water quality and aquatic life. An Environmental Monitoring Protocol was among the conditionalities coming out of the Commission of Enquiry. This Protocol included the identification of research projects funded by the company such as evaluating the efficacy of the effluent treatment system; developing and implementing a protocol for testing the company's Emergency Response Programme by unscheduled drills; and to study the management techniques for the disposal of cyanide and other wastes. Another of the conditionalities was security and surety for closure. This involved the contribution of a minimum of US$750,000 per year for five years. The funds will be held in escrow for the purpose of building up sufficient ready cash to cover the estimated cost of closure as updated from time to time. The value of the funds in escrow shall be maintained at the greater of US$3 million or the updated cost of closure after year five from the commencement of contributions to the fund. Human Resources Manager of OGML, Norman McLean, said the design and construction of the number two tailings pond was certified by four geo-technical companies. One of the companies was Klohn Crippen, a North American-based firm. The head of the Dam Review Committee, Stephen Vick, also certified the design. The treatment facility is in place and consultants were in Guyana to test alternative degradation for cyanide wastes. Studies conducted by environmental company RESCAN Consultants Inc found that the natural breakdown of cyanide by sunlight followed by further cyanide removal in the activated carbon complexes in the tailings pond, was environmentally sound and posed no harm to the water quality of the Essequibo river. McLean said OGML has embarked on a wide-ranging education programme within the communities in the surrounding area on cyanide and its effects. The company has also provided support for other educational programmes and has assisted to promote awareness of the environment. He stated that monitoring was done on a day-to-day basis on the concentrations of the substances released by OGML. Communications Officer of OGML, Sita Mohamed, said that the company had met all of its obligations under the resumption agreement. She stated that OGML had prepared a closure plan for the site which was submitted to the EPA. The company did provide the necessary equipment and antidotes in locations which were at risk of cyanide contamination in the event of an accident. This newspaper understands that this would have required the training of personnel at the various health centres which posed some difficulty. Mohamed said the company had already reclaimed part of the Wenot pit which is still being mined. Various species of grass were tested on the surface as part of the reclamation process. Mohamed gave no definitive answer as regards the escrow account but assured that this would have been under consideration. She stated, however, that the company has an insurance policy in place for some of those purposes. Omai programme entails review of environment-related activities Omai Gold Mines Ltd (OGML) has formulated an environmental management programme which would include the revision of all the activities at the mine relating to the company's environmental compliance with commitments. OGML's environmental policy states that the company is committed to sustainable development which embodies protection of human health, the natural environment and a prosperous economy, a report contained in an information package prepared by the company's Public Communications Department stated. The company said it will diligently apply technically proven and economically feasible measures to advance protection of the environment throughout exploration, mining, processing, manufacturing and mine closure. The report said the company undertakes to pursue its efforts to constantly conform to all environmental laws, regulations and authorisation permits governing its activities. Supervisory personnel and appropriate line employees will be trained so that they may respond appropriately to the various control and intervention mechanisms used by regulatory authorities to ensure environmental compliance. These employees are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with all applicable environmental laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards. To date US$252.8M invested Omai Gold Mines Ltd (OGML) has invested US$252.8 million to date in its operations located in the Essequibo region of Guyana. Of this amount US$147.7M represented the cost for construction and pre-production work; exploration US$14 million; working capital US$8 million; financing and insurance fees US$5.4 million; capitalised interest US$9.7 million; mill expansion US$53.3 million; effluent treatment plant US$3.6 million; and the Number Two tailings pond US$10.1 million. Gold production since the operations began stands at (ounces): 1993 - 206,539; 1994 - 250,642; 1995 (the year of the spill) - 171,000; 1996 - 254,950; 1997 - 338,496; 1998 - 327,546; and 1999 - 306,063. The projection for this year is 317,000 ounces. In 1993, OGML's workforce consisted of 799 Guyanese and 144 expatriates in comparison to the present day complement of 882 Guyanese and 65 expatriates. Up to last year, the company says it had contributed US$321.6 million to Guyana's economy. This was derived from: wages and salaries - US$90,200,930; income taxes paid by employees - US$26,967,638; purchases of fuel supplies and other expenses - US$168,123,712; 5% royalty on gold - US$31,562,391; duty and consumption taxes - US$3,187,254; and government corporations and agencies - US$1,590,553. In the area of infrastructural development and maintenance, OGML did work on the Mabura Road between 1991 and 1999 to the tune of US$2.6 million; Ya Ya access road - US$1.2 million; wharf facilities at Linden - US$3.7 million; airstrip - US$378,000; Essequibo access ramps - US$300,000; and telecommunications - US$622,219. Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today