MEDIA STATEMENT

EPA’s RESPONSE TO NEWSPAPER ARTICLE PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 17, 2024

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hereby provides the following comments in response to an article published in the Kaieteur News on October 17, 2024 under the headline, “More West Dem residents complain of suspected oil seepage, explosion of floor tiles,” with a sub-headline, “As EPA reportedly downplays their concerns.”

1. The EPA confirms that recent reports have been received from residents on the West Coast Demerara about the seepage of an unknown substance on the surface of their ground level floors in their homes.

2. Upon the receipt of these reports, the Agency immediately began sending investigative teams to the areas for inspection and collection of samples for testing where necessary.

3. The Agency is still actively continuing investigations and, when completed, will notify all relevant parties. The Agency will take any action necessary based on the findings from these investigations.

4. The Agency wishes to invite all residents who notice similar occurrences to contact the Agency at telephone numbers 592-225-5467-68, 592-225-6044, 592-225-6048, 592-225-0506, 592-225-5471 and 592-225-5472, or via email epa@epaguyana.org.

5. The EPA wishes to also thank those residents who have contacted the Agency thus far and have provided information to the field teams while conducting the investigations

6. In view of the ongoing work being carried out by the EPA to investigate this matter, the Agency strongly believes that the article’s sub-headline is inaccurate and misleading.