Matthews Ridge, Guyana

During the 1960s, Matthews Ridge was being considered as a potential area in which to relocate the capital city of Guyana. During that same era, it was the location of a large manganese mining operation.[2] After being closed for many years, it has recently been reopened by Reunion Manganese Incorporated.

Matthews Ridge lies in the North-West district of Guyana. It is located in Region 1 of Guyana, also known as the Barima-Waini region.

The area experiences an annual shift between rainy and dry seasons. Average temperature ranges between 80-100'F.

A dredge being used in a nearby backdam.

The population of Matthews Ridge is under 1,000 persons, and is composed mainly of black and Amerindian persons. Carib is the language spoken by the local Amerindian people. With the closing of the manganese mining operation in the 1970s, the town went into an economic downturn, which it struggled to recover from for many years. The mine was reopened by Reunioun Manganese Incorporated, but this operation was taken over by Guyana Manganese Incorperated (GMI) in 2019. Otherwise, small-scale gold mining is the basis for most other jobs in the area. This involves travel to backdams (small areas where gold is known to be located) by foot or on ATVs, where batels or dredges are used to mine.[3]

The local nursery and primary schools can accommodate students through Grade 11. The school (Matthew's Ridge Primary Tops School) had pupils sit CSEC for the first time in 2018, but it not yet recognised as a Secondary School meaning pupils sit exams in the nearby town of Port Kaituma.

The main street of Matthews Ridge

The infrastructure of the town is elementary. Cell-phone service is available, through the Digicel mobile network. Electric current is available during certain hours of the day, provided by the town's generator. Goods are brought into Matthews Ridge from Georgetown, and Port Kaituma.