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标签： Guyana

圭亚那

  • After absence of more than 3 months, National Assembly meets on June 5

    After absence of more than 3 months, National Assembly meets on June 5

    After months of public pressure to reconvene the country’s 65-seat National Assembly, which had not held a formal sitting for roughly 110 days, the Guyanese government confirmed on Thursday that the legislative body will return to session on June 5. The announcement was made via a social media statement from Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira, who offered no formal explanation for the extended gap between parliamentary sittings.

    The confirmation comes amid growing cross-sector criticism of the prolonged adjournment, including recent public comments from members of Guyana’s diplomatic community that questioned the absence of legislative activity. Teixeira pushed back against these public remarks, noting that it was regrettable that foreign ambassadors, embassies and high commissions opted to share their concerns publicly rather than first reaching out to the governing party to request clarity on the parliamentary schedule.

    According to the minister, if diplomatic representatives had pursued direct consultation with the government ahead of making public statements, they would have already learned that a June 5 sitting had been finalized long before their comments. Teixeira emphasized that Guyana remains committed to maintaining its close, constructive friendships and partnerships with the global diplomatic community. However, she underscored that engagement on domestic matters tied to the country’s legislative agenda and parliamentary operations must follow appropriate, respectful protocols.

    The minister made clear that the government hopes unprompted public commentary from diplomatic missions on internal parliamentary affairs does not become a standard practice going forward. She added that the administration expects future discussions related to parliamentary business will be conducted through more in-depth, mutually respectful channels that align with Guyana’s sovereign processes.

    The government’s announcement also came just 24 hours after a small opposition political grouping, the Forward Guyana Movement, submitted a formal petition decrying the extended absence of parliamentary sittings. In the petition, the opposition group argued that the prolonged halt to legislative operations was actively eroding core democratic principles in Guyana, including government transparency, accountability to the public, and freedom of expression. The move from the opposition added to growing domestic pressure on the administration to set a firm date for the reconvening of the National Assembly.

  • Detailed conditions for micro-loans from development bank

    Detailed conditions for micro-loans from development bank

    On Thursday, May 21, 2026, Guyana’s Minister of Government Efficiency Zulfikar Ally publicly laid out eligibility and procedural requirements for small and medium-sized businesses seeking interest-free, collateral-free loans of up to 3 million Guyanese dollars from the soon-to-launch Guyana Development Bank, during a business luncheon hosted by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA).

    Ally confirmed that the state-backed bank is on track to open its doors to borrowers before the end of 2026, and detailed the core documentation and checks applicants will need to complete. To qualify for financing, business owners must provide a verifiable credit score, proof of compliance with both the National Insurance Scheme and Guyana Revenue Authority regulations, official proof of address, a comprehensive business plan, updated financial statements where applicable, and official government identification — a digital ID is preferred, but traditional physical identification cards will still be accepted. All applications will also undergo a rigorous background check focused on the applicant’s history of debt repayment, Ally added.

    To ensure full public accountability, the minister announced that all of the development bank’s financial activities will be audited annually by the Office of the Auditor General, and all government capital injections into the institution will be formally presented to and reviewed by Guyana’s Parliament. Currently, the government has not implemented any upper cap on total annual loan disbursements, Ally confirmed.

    Financing from the new bank will prioritize four key high-growth sectors: agriculture and agro-processing, tourism and hospitality, trade, and the emerging creative and digital industries. When pressed for details on intellectual property protections for digital and creative sector borrowers, Ally noted that the government is still developing policy frameworks for this fast-growing new segment, with more details to come at a later date. The bank’s long-term structure is designed to support growing businesses as their capital needs expand, Ally explained: for businesses that successfully grow past the 3 million GYD loan cap and need additional financing, the development bank will partner with local commercial banks to facilitate larger lending, while also providing pre-screening, business training, and referral support to connect qualified borrowers with additional capital.

    Beyond lending, the institution will offer non-financial support to borrowers, including mandatory financial literacy training, one-on-one mentorship from experienced industry professionals, targeted business development guidance, and technical assistance to help small business owners strengthen their management capabilities, improve long-term operational sustainability, and scale their operations.

    Repeated questions were raised at the event about the long-term fiscal sustainability of the bank’s model of zero-interest, no-collateral lending, with attendees asking whether the government would cap lending after disbursing several billion Guyanese dollars. Ally rejected the prospect of an early cap, confirming that the government will commit sustained capital to the initiative, which is designed to unlock economic potential for under-served entrepreneurs across the country who have strong business ideas but lack access to traditional financing.

    Ally added that Guyana’s policy team has drawn lessons from decades of successful experience with similar microcredit and development bank models in South Asia, specifically studying the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, the pioneering microfinance institution that built its model on no-collateral lending to reduce poverty and empower low-income entrepreneurs, as well as established development bank models in India.

  • Guyana records 63.9% percent ICAO compliance

    Guyana records 63.9% percent ICAO compliance

    On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, senior aviation officials from Guyana outlined the country’s plans to lift its 63.4 percent overall score from the 2024 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audit, a result that already stood as the highest rating earned by any nation in the Latin American and Caribbean (LATAM) region. While Guyana’s leadership celebrated the “comfortable pass” that outperformed all neighboring states in the region, officials acknowledged that a last-minute legislative update held back the country’s final result in the rigorous international assessment.

    Aviation Minister Deodat Indar explained that the Guyanese government had completed a full overhaul of the national Civil Aviation Act just weeks before the ICAO audit team arrived. The new legislation brought sweeping changes to the country’s aviation regulatory framework, but the tight timeline between the bill’s passage and the audit left insufficient time to demonstrate full on-the-ground implementation of the new rules. This gap translated to a lower than expected score in the regulatory implementation segment of the audit, even as the country posted strong results across most other evaluated areas.

    Notably, Guyana earned scores above 89 percent in the standalone regulatory framework assessment, and secured an 80.14 percent rating in the aviation security category, outperforming many regional peers across multiple key metrics. Egbert Field, Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and retired Lieutenant Colonel, added further context to the score dip, noting that aviation inspectors were still completing on-the-job training aligned with the new regulatory requirements when the audit took place.

    Despite the lower overall score, Guyana’s aviation leadership has expressed unwavering confidence that targeted improvements will raise the national rating significantly. To formalize this progress, the country has taken an unusual step: it has voluntarily called for an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) to conduct a follow-up inspection in 2027, a proactive move that few sovereign nations initiate. A dedicated GCAA officer has been assigned to oversee a structured corrective action plan, with progress updates delivered to senior leadership every two weeks to keep the process on track.

    The 2024 ICAO audit evaluated participating member states across eight core thematic areas, covering more than 700 individual assessment criteria. Key evaluation domains included national aviation legislation, regulatory frameworks, enforcement mechanisms, record-keeping systems, personnel competency, and operator certification, creating a comprehensive benchmark for global aviation safety and governance.

  • New Cheddi Jagan Airport air traffic control tower to create more space for expansion

    New Cheddi Jagan Airport air traffic control tower to create more space for expansion

    On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Guyana’s Minister of Aviation Deodat Indar announced a critical infrastructure development plan that will reshape the country’s aviation sector: the construction of a brand-new Air Traffic Control Tower at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), located in Timehri along the East Bank Demerara. The announcement came during a press briefing previewing the third International Civil Aviation Organization/European Union Aviation Safety Agency Global Regional Safety Oversight Organization (RSOO) and Regional Accident and Incident Investigation Organization (RAIO) Forum on Aviation Safety, which is scheduled to take place in Guyana September 29–30.

    According to Indar, relocating and rebuilding the control tower is a necessary first step to unlock large-scale expansion of the already strained CJIA, which has seen explosive growth in air traffic over the past five years. The new tower will be constructed on the opposite side of the airport’s existing footprint, creating space to add additional aircraft parking aprons to accommodate more concurrent arrivals and departures.

    Indar emphasized that growing congestion has already created operational challenges at the hub. In 2020, just four airlines operated out of CJIA; today, that number has jumped to 16. During peak periods, when multiple flights arrive within a narrow window, the airport runs out of available parking space, forcing incoming aircraft to hold on taxiways waiting for available spots. This bottleneck slows operations and limits the airport’s ability to support further growth in Guyana’s aviation sector.

    The new ATC tower is just one component of a nationwide aviation modernization push taking place across the country. Indar noted that the overhaul extends beyond infrastructure to include updates to national aviation laws and regulatory frameworks, as well as upgrades at all of Guyana’s aerodromes. Planned upgrades include new security scanners, expanded closed-circuit camera coverage, automated inline baggage handling systems, and modernized digital check-in systems to improve passenger experience and security.

    Official data shared by the minister underscores the rapid expansion driving these changes: total aircraft movements across Guyana rose from 63,863 in 2020 to 99,508 by the end of 2025, a more than 55% increase in just five years. For Indar, this surge in air traffic is more than an operational challenge—it is a clear indicator of broader economic growth across the country. “It tells you movement is a sign of economic activity. It tells you what’s happening in the sector,” he said, framing the modernization efforts as a direct investment in Guyana’s ongoing economic expansion.

  • Indian quarry company denies workers’ allegations, probe continues- Labour Minister

    Indian quarry company denies workers’ allegations, probe continues- Labour Minister

    On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Guyana’s Minister of Labour Keoma Griffith confirmed that an inter-agency investigation is underway into serious allegations of worker mistreatment at a Batavia quarry operated by Indian firm EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management, located in Region Seven Cuyuni-Mazaruni. While Griffith has outlined the scope of the probe, he has declined to share non-public details of the ongoing inquiry, citing the need for a fair, balanced review of claims from both workers and the company.

    Griffith, a trained lawyer, noted that the company has formally denied all allegations leveled against it by the 38 affected Indian national workers. “It now calls on us to investigate both sides,” he told reporters, adding that additional information will be released publicly once it is verified and the inquiry progresses. The cross-ministerial investigation team is currently examining multiple key concerns, including irregularities in worker employment contracts, substandard living conditions, severe workplace health and safety hazards, and the reported unauthorized seizure of workers’ personal belongings and cultural artefacts.

    In a major early development, the 38 workers have had their Indian passports returned following direct intervention from Griffith and engagement with India’s diplomatic mission in Guyana. The labour minister issued a firm 24-hour ultimatum for the documents to be returned earlier this week, which EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management complied with. “I met the representatives of the company and I demanded in no uncertain terms that their passports be returned to them by 1 PM on that day. Within a short turnaround time, the passports were returned to them,” Griffith confirmed. However, he declined to name which party held the passports, as the company itself has denied retaining the documents, and the investigation remains open.

    Griffith also pushed back against calls to immediately label the alleged passport retention as human trafficking, saying that premature labeling would be irresponsible. “I’m not going to make an allegation of human trafficking without [evidence]. I cannot do that. That will be irresponsible of me,” he said. That accusation has already been leveled by Guyana’s Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, who has played a central role in bringing the workers’ allegations to public attention. Mohamed facilitated the workers’ travel from the remote quarry to the capital Georgetown, accompanying them to meetings with both the Indian High Commission and the Ministry of Labour to file their formal grievances.

    On the separate issue of unpaid wages, Griffith said company representatives have provided an explanation for delayed outstanding salary payments, and he is currently waiting for additional documentation to verify their account. The investigation comes in the wake of two severe adverse events among the workforce: one worker has died while employed at the quarry, and a second worker who reportedly lost four fingers in a work accident has already returned to India. A follow-up meeting between ministry officials and company representatives was scheduled for 1 PM Wednesday to continue discussions related to the investigation.

  • Guyana loans two pumps to flood-hit Suriname

    Guyana loans two pumps to flood-hit Suriname

    As of Tuesday, May 19, 2026, senior government officials from Guyana have confirmed that the South American neighbor has extended emergency assistance to flood-battered Suriname, loaning two high-volume drainage pumps to help mitigate the widespread inundation driven by days of unrelenting heavy rainfall.

    Guyanese President Irfaan Ali shared details of the cross-border aid in an interview with Demerara Waves Online News, noting that Suriname’s flooding crisis has been far more severe than the flooding Guyana itself recently experienced. “Their flooding was worse than ours because the rainfall continued with greater intensity there so they wanted some support with additional pumping capacity, and we have supported them by loaning two pumps,” Ali explained.

    According to Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, the emergency assistance was arranged following a recent virtual summit between President Ali and Suriname’s President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, who was joined by her nation’s Public Works Minister during the talks. During that meeting, Simons outlined the dire flooding conditions across Suriname and formally requested support from Guyana. After the high-level discussion, President Ali directed Minister Mustapha to coordinate a follow-up working session with his Surinamese counterpart to finalize logistics for the aid. “Based on the outcomes of that meeting, we immediately dispatched two pumps to Suriname,” Mustapha confirmed.

    Each of the deployed pumps has a massive flow capacity of 31,000 gallons of water per minute, making them powerful tools for clearing stagnant floodwater from populated and low-lying vulnerable areas. The units were successfully transported across the Corentyne River, which forms the border between the two South American nations, on Monday, just one day before the official aid confirmation.

    Suriname’s government released a statement on Tuesday acknowledging the timely assistance, noting that the new pumps will dramatically speed up and improve the efficiency of draining excess rain and surface water from the country’s most flood-prone regions. Per the Surinamese government’s deployment plan, the first pump is scheduled to be installed at the Sabakoe Project on May 20. The second unit will be positioned along Indira Gandhiweg, close to the Red Apple department store, where it will support drainage operations for the Rahemal Project and its surrounding residential and commercial areas.

    In its statement, the Suriname government reaffirmed its commitment to implementing long-term structural flood mitigation measures to reduce the nation’s vulnerability to extreme weather events, while also expressing gratitude for the cross-border cooperation and community understanding amid the ongoing emergency response.

  • FGM petitions National Assembly over no parliamentary sittings

    FGM petitions National Assembly over no parliamentary sittings

    As Guyana navigates an unprecedented windfall from newly developed oil reserves, a small opposition political faction has ramped up pressure for institutional accountability, launching a formal public petition to Guyana’s National Assembly and calling for regional and international democratic bodies to intervene. On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Amanza Walton, leader of the one-seat Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), delivered a petition bearing 100 citizen signatures to Sherlock Isaacs, Clerk of the National Assembly. This action came just one day after Walton dispatched formal correspondence to multiple leading regional and international democratic institutions, urging them to press Guyana’s governing administration to reconvene parliament, which has not held a sitting in 95 days as of the petition’s filing.

    The core demands laid out in the FGM petition center on three key institutional reforms that the opposition argues are critical amid the country’s rapidly growing oil revenue. First, the group calls for the National Assembly to schedule sittings at consistent, publicly announced intervals, arguing that regular sessions are a non-negotiable requirement for the legislature to carry out its constitutional duties of oversight, representation, and policy debate. Second, FGM demands that the legislative body publish a formal, structured parliamentary calendar, a step the group says would reduce opacity, boost public trust in democratic institutions, and create clearer opportunities for citizen engagement in national governance. Third, the opposition is calling for the immediate establishment and activation of all required standing and sectoral parliamentary committees, which are tasked with detailed scrutiny of government policy, public spending, and administrative actions.

    FGM emphasizes that these reforms have taken on new urgency as Guyana manages expanding national revenue from its burgeoning oil sector. In the text of the petition, the organization notes that the absence of active parliamentary committees and infrequent sittings directly undermines the legislature’s core oversight mandate. Without active, functioning committees, the group argues, the National Assembly cannot conduct granular reviews of policies and spending that directly impact Guyanese citizens’ daily lives, from public service delivery to economic and social development initiatives. Any delay in activating these key bodies, the petition stresses, permanently weakens the National Assembly’s ability to fulfill the constitutional responsibilities assigned to it by Guyana’s governing framework.

    Beyond the domestic petition, FGM reached out to a wide range of global and regional bodies on Monday, including the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Organization of American States (OAS), and ParlAmericas. The opposition also notified members of the diplomatic community based in Guyana, including representatives from the ABCEU bloc. In its correspondence, FGM raises alarm over what it frames as a growing pattern of democratic erosion in the country more than six months after the 2025 General and Regional Elections. These concerns include restrictions on press access to parliament, limitations on opposition parliamentary speech, and the ongoing failure to form key oversight bodies, including the critical Public Accounts Committee.

    The organization was careful to frame its international appeal not as an invitation for foreign interference in Guyana’s sovereign affairs, but as a request to international and regional bodies to uphold the democratic standards and commitments that Guyana voluntarily adopted when joining multilateral agreements. FGM stressed that ultimate responsibility for safeguarding Guyanese democracy rests with the country’s own people and constitutional institutions, but added that as a member of the international community bound by multiple democratic governance frameworks, Guyana’s democratic progress is a legitimate matter of shared regional and global concern.

    In a statement accompanying the petition, Walton emphasized the stakes of the current push for accountability. “A Parliament that does not sit cannot effectively scrutinize public spending, represent the people, or hold power accountable. At a time of unprecedented oil wealth, democratic oversight in Guyana should be expanding, not disappearing,” she said.

  • Indian quarry workers were required to pay company if fired

    Indian quarry workers were required to pay company if fired

    Controversial one-sided employment terms for Indian migrant workers at a major Guyanese quarry operated by India-based EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management have triggered an official multi-agency investigation, following public outcry over alleged unfair labor practices and passport retention.

    Details of the exploitative clauses came to light after Demerara Waves Online News obtained and reviewed one of the seven-year employment contracts binding 38 Indian migrant workers brought to Guyana to work at the 15-year lease quarry. The terms impose steep financial penalties on workers for a range of scenarios, including early termination, dismissal, and unauthorized absence.

    Under the contract terms, workers terminated for cause—including providing incorrect personal information, code of conduct violations, or repeated underperformance after two formal warnings—are required to reimburse the company $3,000 to cover hiring, training, and administrative costs, in addition to covering their own return travel expenses out of pocket. Workers who choose to end their 24-month contract early face even higher penalties of $5,000, with no coverage for return travel provided by the employer. Any worker who absconds from their post forfeits all unpaid wages, accrued leave, and earned bonuses, and must pay an additional $5,000 contract breach fee within 14 days or face legal action.

    The contract also includes restrictive clauses that limit worker speech and flexibility. Workers are barred from making defamatory or false statements about the company or other staff, with immediate termination and no severance pay as a consequence, plus the possibility of additional legal action for reputational damage. EKAA HRIM also reserves the right to modify company policies at its sole discretion, with the original contract and signed code of conduct taking precedence in any dispute. Workers are additionally prohibited from sharing contract details including salary and benefit amounts with external parties, a violation that counts as breach of contract.

    Work schedule terms also raise concerns over excessive working hours and unpaid overtime. The contract requires workers to be on site 12 hours per day, six days per week, with mandatory work on public holidays and non-working days during emergencies at the employer’s request. While the company notes that base pay is structured to include overtime for the standard 72-hour work week, overtime is only granted for hours worked beyond the daily and weekly requirement after meeting production targets. Any extra time worked to hit targets delayed by external factors such as bad weather does not qualify for overtime pay, and workers who fail to meet production targets face automatic salary reductions.

    The situation escalated after Guyana’s Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and a delegation of party leaders visited the quarry site over the weekend to meet with workers and hear their complaints. Multiple workers reported that the company had withheld their passports, a common tactic used to restrict migrant worker mobility. Following the outreach, Labour Minister Keoma Griffith announced Monday that he had coordinated with the Indian High Commissioner to secure the return of all 38 passports to the workers.

    Griffith confirmed that a joint multi-agency investigative team has been assembled to conduct a full on-site inquiry into the workers’ allegations, which include claims of substandard working conditions, unfair labor treatment, and violations of occupational safety and health regulations. The team includes representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Trafficking In Persons Unit, and other relevant regulatory bodies.

    The EKAA HRIM quarry, which covers 1,089 acres of leased land with a 30-acre active mining pit, was formally opened by Guyanese President Irfaan Ali in September 2023. The 15-year lease includes an option for renewal at the end of the term, and the company has announced plans to invest up to $20 million in the project. At the opening ceremony, EKAA Chairman Saju Bhaskar highlighted the company’s sustainable development plans, noting that the firm intends to power the entire mining operation with on-site solar energy in line with Guyana’s national low-carbon development strategy. For his part, President Ali noted that the new domestic quarry would help address Guyana’s growing construction material shortage, which has driven rising prices and forced the country to import millions of tons of quarry material in recent years to keep pace with rapid national development.

  • Govt gives Indian quarry company 24 hours to respond to alleged labour rights violations

    Govt gives Indian quarry company 24 hours to respond to alleged labour rights violations

    On Monday, May 18, 2026, Guyana’s Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning issued an urgent 24-hour ultimatum to EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management, an India-based mining firm operating in the country, demanding the company respond to multiple formal allegations of labor rights violations linked to the recent death of one of its 38 Indian national employees. The fatal incident, which occurred on May 12, will be a core focus of a wide-ranging official investigation that will also examine claims of unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions, and failures to uphold worker welfare standards at the company’s Batavia quarry, located in Guyana’s Region Seven Cuyuni-Mazaruni.

    A multi-agency investigative task force has already been assembled to conduct on-site assessments of the quarry. The team draws personnel from the Labour Ministry, the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit, and other relevant regulatory bodies, all of whom have been mobilized to probe the full scope of the allegations. Prior to launching the formal investigation, Labour Minister Keoma Griffith held an urgent diplomatic meeting with Manoj Kumar, India’s Acting High Commissioner to Guyana, to address the immediate concern of withheld worker passports. Following Griffith’s intervention, all held passports were returned to the 38 Indian workers, a resolution the Labour Ministry has credited to the minister’s direct action.

    After the diplomatic talks, the ministry convened a tripartite meeting between the affected workers, EKAA HRIM company management, and government officials to create a formal space for workers to lay out their grievances. The ministry has publicly committed to ongoing monitoring of the case and pledged to take all regulatory and legal steps required to ensure full compliance with Guyana’s domestic labor laws.

    Notably absent from the ministry’s official statement was any acknowledgment of We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), Guyana’s main opposition political party, which first brought the workers’ allegations to public attention. According to WIN, the party arranged transportation for the aggrieved workers from the remote Batavia quarry site to Georgetown, provided temporary accommodation for the group, and lodged a formal representation with the Indian High Commission before the government launched its official probe. On the day the passports were returned, WIN party leader Azruddin Mohamed and senior executive Tabitha Sarabo-Ally were present at the Labour Ministry’s Brickdam headquarters alongside the Indian workers as the employees reclaimed their travel documents.

  • Indian nationals get back passports, await outstanding salaries

    Indian nationals get back passports, await outstanding salaries

    On Monday, 18 May 2026, 38 Indian national workers who had been employed at a remote Guyanese quarry under widely reported harsh working conditions for nearly three years finally regained possession of their passports at Guyana’s Ministry of Labour. The workers were recruited by EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management, a company headquartered in India, to work at the Batavia quarry site located in Region Seven’s Cuyuni-Mazaruni interior region.

    The case was brought to public attention by Azruddin Mohamed, Leader of Guyana’s opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, whose organization traveled to the remote quarry to investigate worker accounts of abuse. As of Monday afternoon, Mohamed confirmed that the workers were still waiting for Ministry of Labour officials and company representatives to calculate all outstanding unpaid wages owed to the group, a core demand ahead of their planned departure from the country.

    Mohamed called the recovery of passports a “major victory” for the 38 workers, detailing a litany of alleged labor violations against the company. According to worker testimonies collected by WIN, employees were never paid overtime wages, never received formal payslips for their work, and have no confirmation that required social security deductions were ever remitted to Guyana’s National Insurance Scheme. Workers reported being forced to operate seven days a week, including national holidays, and were provided consistently low-quality food during their employment. One anonymous worker shared that he was only occasionally able to send $1200 USD back to his family in India, and expressed overwhelming eagerness to return home after years of exploitation.

    Shocking accounts of workplace safety failures also emerged: one unnamed Indian worker suffered the amputation of four fingers while performing vehicle repairs at the site, and has since returned to India without receiving any workers’ compensation for his injury. Mohamed confirmed that the incident was formally reported to Guyana’s Chief Labour Officer, and WIN is pushing for the injured worker to receive full compensation despite his return to India.

    Mohamed leveled severe allegations against the company and Guyana’s ruling People’s Progressive Party administration, saying the company’s treatment of workers amounts to human trafficking. He claims workers were forced to cover their own airfare to travel to Guyana for the jobs, and immediately had their passports confiscated by company representatives upon arrival – despite repeated requests from workers to have their documents returned. Adding to the exploitative terms, Mohamed says worker contracts include a punitive clause requiring employees to pay the company $5000 USD if they choose to leave their position or are terminated. “This is modern day slavery we’re under, under the PPP administration,” Mohamed stated.

    WIN is calling for full legal action against EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management for the confirmed labor violations, alongside the implementation of stronger regulatory systems to prevent the same exploitation from happening to future groups of foreign workers. “This is what we need to know and this is what the government needs to enforce,” Mohamed added.

    Last week, Labour Minister Keoma Griffith confirmed that a formal government investigation into the allegations had been launched. Vishnu Panday, WIN executive member and sitting parliamentarian, confirmed that once all outstanding wage claims are resolved, the organization will escort the 38 workers to another government ministry to expedite processing for their departure from Guyana. Panday also issued a broader call for the government to conduct sweeping inspections of other interior worksites across the country, to root out additional cases of unreported foreign worker exploitation.