Dear Editor,
The Canadian Gold Exploration Company Stratagold is presently conducting gold exploration activities at Tassawini in the Amerindian Village of Chinese Landing in the Barama River, North West District.
It is my wish that the Ministry of Labour conduct an inspection into the operations at Tassawini to verify the upholding of our country’s labour laws and to find out whether or not this company has any mechanism for dealing with workers grievances.
My understanding is that the company can hire and fire you for the least default without any investigation. The workforce of the company consists mainly of Amerindian residents of Chinese Landing and Santa Rosa villages. They are unable to seek redress for their grievances because the Ministry of Labour is out of reach of the workers because we are based or live in the North West District.
I understand, however, that the Ministry of Labour may not have the resources to launch an investigation into the manner in which workers are treated by Strata Gold and other companies that extract our resources in the hinterland.
Mr Anthony Gonsalves a cook employed by the company was dismissed from his job last December 2007. Mr Gonsalves was given permission by the company’s security guards to spend Christmas day with his wife and children at Chinese Landing about four miles from the company’s camp site. While Mr Gonsalves was away from the camp site, two of the security guards left the camp site to purchase alcohol using the company’s motor cycle.
The guards encountered an accident which caused severe damage to the motor cycle. The guards reported the accident to the company’s camp manager who was in Georgetown at the time. The guards reported that they encountered the accident while they were searching for Mr Gonsalves because he was not at the camp site. The Company Manager then directed from Georgetown that Mr Gonsalves be dismissed and that he leave the company’s camp site forthwith. Mr Gonsalves was dismissed without an opportunity to be heard, neither was an investigation carried out to determine the truth of the whole story. His right to be heard was blatantly violated.
The Chinese Landing Village Council appears to be very weak and it is not taking a firm stand to ensure that the workforce are fairly treated.
It is my view that Mr Gonsalves was unfairly dismissed and it is time that the Ministry of Labour establish a hinterland unit to discipline companies whether local or foreign who exploit the labour of hinterland workers.
Yours faithfully,
Edward Hernandez
Editor’s note
We sent a copy of this letter to StrataGold Guyana Inc for their comments and received the following response from Ms Petula Phillips, their Office Manager:
“Thank you for providing StrataGold Guyana Inc with the opportunity to review and comment on the letter you received from Edward Hernandez regarding Mr Gonsalves’ previous employment.
StrataGold does not share the views of Mr Gonsalves and strongly rejects the factual content of the opinions he expressed through Mr Hernandez.
StrataGold Guyana Inc has been operating in Guyana for several years and we are very proud of our accomplishments which are entirely dependent upon the commitment and dedication of our employees. We currently employ more than 200 Guyanese citizens and offer a very competitive compensation package. StrataGold maintains the highest health and safety standards in all our camps which, through inspection, routinely exceed all local and international standards.
To the knowledge of StrataGold Guyana Inc Mr Gonsalves has not contacted the company or the Ministry of Labour to bring forward any grievance he may have with the company.”
