Vashawn Hopkinson and Dalieann Joseph were brought out of area on Saturday by the Guyana Women Miners’ Organisation (GWMO) with the help of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and the police.
Hopkinson and Joseph yesterday told Stabroek News that statements were taken from them at the Labour Ministry and later the GGMC as well as at the Human Services Ministry. They said that the dredge owner’s wife was also contacted and she indicated that the man was in the backdam. They said the wife was told that they need to come out and speak to officials.
Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle told Stabroek News that once the women file a complaint with his office, the matter would be investigated. He said that there have been in excess of 700 complaints for the year dealing with wages issues and they usually investigate and find out what were the arrangements and once the name and address of the employer is provided, they would be contacted.
In some cases, Ogle said, they would take the employer to court if they refuse to pay the worker, while the GGMC can also put pressure on miners, who by virtue of mistreating their workers are in breach of their licences.
According to Hopkinson, after spending the day giving statements, personnel from the Human Services Ministry gave them $1,600 to purchase food. The ministry also gave them $20,000 each to purchase food items and $10,000 for them to pay their transportation to their homes at Kwakwani.
The women had gone to the backdam in April with the understanding that they would have received $120,000 each per month. They had planned to leave three months later to visit their children and the dredge owner had promised to give them their wages. However, days before he was expected to pay them he verbally abused them and later forced them out of the camp. The women remained in the backdam stranded because they had no money. Hopkinson has two children and Joseph has a two-year-old son.
The women were yesterday taken to the various agencies by the GWMO Secretary Denise Scipio-Agard.
They praised the efforts of the GWMO and, in particular, GWMO President Simona Broomes, saying that without her they would have still been in the backdam. They are optimistic that the authorities would ensure that the dredge owner pays them.
