The Ministry of Social Protection has expressed concern at the increasing number of labour violations reported in the mining industry.
A press release from the ministry stated that in recent months it has received reports of mining employees being made to work for months without pay and being subject to arbitrary dismissals accompanied by the non-payment of severance entitlements including salaries and termination benefits. Workers described interminable hours without adequate compensation and returning home with insufficient pay often suffering from malaria or other ailments.
The ministry pointed to the fact that cases have proven difficult to investigate since employers are often out of telephone contact and frequently do not operate registered businesses. To this end the ministry, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) the regulatory body for mining operators, and the Guyana Gold & Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), the association representing miners, will be collaborating in an effort to tackle the issue in a comprehensive manner. The two bodies are viewed as being integral to the two-fold process – the education of employers and the empowerment of workers.
While there has been some success in defending exploited workers, the ministry expressed the view that too many employers continue to circumvent the law. Those seeking to better understand their obligations to employees hired to work in the interior, are invited to go into the ministry for assistance.
The Ministry is putting all employers on notice that labour laws will be enforced and workers’ rights respected.
