Gov’t examining legal, other implications of RUSAL’s closure -Trotman

By Stabroek News On In Guyana News |
From right: General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) Seepaul Narine, General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) Lincoln Lewis and President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Corretta McDonald meeting the bauxite workers yesterday morning in Region Ten.
From right: General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) Seepaul Narine, General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) Lincoln Lewis and President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Corretta McDonald meeting the bauxite workers yesterday morning in Region Ten.

Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman has ordered the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to conduct a technical and legal assessment of all of the local operations of Russian Aluminium (RUSAL) and will examine the legal and other consequences of its closure.

RUSAL is the parent company of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI), whose operations are in turmoil following a workers’ strike and the subsequent firing of 90 workers. Trotman was questioned on the matter yesterday as he and a Ministry of Natural Resources team, along with a delegation from South Africa including Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources Godfrey Oliphant, visited Bosai Mineral Group (Guyana) Inc’s bauxite operations in Linden.

Asked whether the government could take away BCGI’s mining licences, Trotman indicated that while that might be an emotive response, there are legal implications that must be considered as well as the effects on the workers, should there be a shutdown.