Barama Company Ltd said yesterday that it had “voluntarily” closed all its factories following the closure of its Buckhall operation by the Ministry of Labour to facilitate an investigation into the death of labourer Jason Fraser.
A release from Barama said the closure would also “facilitate a complete and intensive reinforcement training programme on all our safety protocols for our managers, supervisors and general staff”.
Yesterday, Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir along with senior functionaries visited the veneer factory, the release added. Today, senior officials of the Guyana Forestry Commission will also visit the location.
These visits, the release said, are part of an ongoing investigation following the death of Fraser whose remains were found in a wood shredder at Barama’s Buck-hall operations. The Guyana Police Force, Ministry of Labour and Guyana Fores-try’s Commission previously visited the operation, the release said. “We have found these engagements very commendable on the part of government’s approach and proactive involvement,” the release said.
Barama said that it would like to be “very open and transparent in moving forward” as part of its corporate social responsibility. “We operate in a regulated environment, which requires compliance to our business operation,” it said.
Meanwhile, Barama gave assurances to the family of Fraser that it will carry out a “thorough investigation” but cited “several misrepresentations in the media”. Barama said Fraser’s monthly salary was “in excess of the purported amount mentioned in the press as is evident in our records”. A Kaieteur News article had stated that Fraser was paid $18,000 monthly.
“While our priority at this point in time is to determine the cause of the accident, we would like to state that the Ministry of Labour will be involved in all discussions with the father and mother of the deceased given certain extraneous family circumstances beyond our control,” the release said.
On September 2, Fraser’s remains were pulled from the wood shredding machine, three days after he was reported missing. Fraser had been employed at Barama’s Buckhall operations for about two months.
His father, James Fraser, has been insisting that things don’t “add up” in his son’s death. Recently he told this newspaper that he believes his son was murdered.
