Pork-knocker dies after mining pit collapses

A miner was on Sunday killed after the mining pit in which he was working collapsed at Arena Backdam, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini).
The dead man has been identified as 26-year-old Errol Ramitt also called “Tushi” of Turn Basin, Port Kaituma, NWD.
Based on reports received, on the day in question at about 14:00h, the now dead man was in the mining pit operating an engine when a piece of land slid and covered him. Upon realising what had happened, other workers went to his rescue but by the time they pulled him from under the rubble, he was motionless.
He was transported to the Port Kaituma Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His body was taken to the hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem. The police have launched an investigation into the fatal accident.
In September, the Labour Ministry launched an investigation in relation to the death of 59-year-old Donston John, who died at a mining pit at Konawaruk Backdam at Whitewater Mountain, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), after rocks caved in on him.
It was reported that John, also called “Rambo” of St Francis Mission, Mahaicony River, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), and a 63-year-old pork-knocker of Kamarang, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), were working as punters with a three-inch pump and their detectors at Whitewater Backdam.
They were, however, joined by two other punters – a 52-year-old of Samantha Point, Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and a 49-year-old man of Wakapao, Pomeroon, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
As the men were working at the edge of a hill, several big rocks reportedly fell on the victim while the others managed to run to safety. Moments after, the men returned to the scene and after several hours of digging out the debris, the lifeless body of John was pulled.
This is not the first time such an accident has occurred, and it has been happening in mining sites across the country. In the latest accident, a pitman attached to a private mining company at Blackwater Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), was killed last July after the mining pit in which he was working collapsed.
Louis Armstrong, 55, of Meadowbank, Greater Georgetown, was working on a six-inch dredge when the pit caved in, thus pinning him.
Last October, a geologist attached to Troy Resources mining operations at Karouni, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), was killed after the mining pit in which he was working collapsed.
Ryan Taylor, 33, of Alberttown, Georgetown, and three others were working on the construction of a “bench” in a mining pit, when there was a slippage, which allegedly resulted in him falling and being covered.
It was later disclosed by the company that at about 02:25h on the night shift, the geologist was standing above an excavated working face when the three-metre embankment he was standing on collapsed and he suffered fatal injuries as a consequence.
It took some time to get Taylor from under the rubble and by the time he was pulled, it was too late.
Meanwhile, in light of the industrial accident, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat has encouraged miners to comply with all protocols and guidelines in accordance with the Mining Act and regulations. Both Ministries have since extended condolences to the bereaved family.