Dear Editor,
At this critical stage, it is vital that the Government takes swift pre-emptive action against Rusal as the Company has now embarked on a Stalinist ‘scorched earth policy’ as indicated by the disassembling of three huge trucks to be taken out of the country. This might well be followed by the disablement of plant and machinery at the mine-site and the removal of vital equipment. This should not be permitted as the Government is part owner of BCGI.
The Company also seems to be hell-bent on starving the workers into submission. This would also include, not only those workers who reside in the three accommodation barracks at the mine-site and who are fed free of charge at the staff canteen as a condition of employment, but also those workers who reside with their families in quarters in the adjoining Mapletown Township and who rely on the Commissary for groceries and general domestic needs. I recall that Reynolds/Alcoa had subsidised the prices at this grocery store by paying a contracted trucker $50,000 per trip once weekly to bring groceries for the community as prices at the Commissary were not to exceed prices at Linden. This would explain why precipitate action by the Government is essential to avoid a serious catastrophe when stocks are exhausted. The community would be starved.
It must also be noted that Rusal has destroyed almost everything that had been done by Reynolds/Alcoa to bring comfort to workers and their families at Aroaima. I sought and obtained permission from the Ministry of Education to establish a Secondary Department at the Company’s private Primary School as children had to reside as far away as Linden for secondary education. The Secondary Department was abolished by Rusal and the school handed over to the Government. I had also obtained approval for a postal agency but I understand this has been closed by Rusal. A club house built on the playfield has been deliberately neglected. The Mapletown Religious Sanctuary that was built to serve all denominations in the absence of places of worship has also been deliberately neglected, and similarly too, all the staff houses and caravans. I am advised that the company closed the relevant section of the Maintenance Department that took care of the community and out-sourced the work. The common denominator by Rusal at Aroaima and Kwakwani has been crass neglect in sharp contrast to what obtained under Reynolds/Alcoa who had been an excellent corporate citizen.
The current Government must not allow this matter to be protracted and must be bold and aggressive to take immediate remedial action to salvage this unacceptable situation that has been festering for over a decade. Guyana does not need investors like Rusal. The action to be taken points in one direction viz:
(i) Revoke the ‘Work Permits’ of all Russian employees and send them packing under 72 hours’ notice,
(ii) Position police detachments at Aroaima and Kwakwani to protect assets from deliberate destruction, removal and sabotage,
(iii) Government should have at least a 10% stake in BCGI and the Company must also be indebted to the Guyana Revenue Authority and businesses operating in Guyana. As a consequence all the Company’s assets in Guyana must be frozen,
(iv) Invite Reynolds/Alcoa to return to Guyana despite the abrupt manner in which they were treated by the then Government to facilitate the ‘Takeover’ by Rusal. Reynolds/Alcoa handed over its 50% interest to the Government for a paltry $1 (US). A forensic audit must be undertaken to ascertain what was the ‘sweetheart’ deal with Rusal; they were even able to rent as their Head Office a heritage site building, formerly occupied by a former President’s wife and a former sitting President at a ‘peanut’ rental. Was there collusion? – Where are the relevant agreements?
(v) Tim O’ Driscoll, an Australian, was Reynolds/Alcoa’s last General Manager at Aroaima. This extremely competent executive had excellent relations with workers, the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union and the community at large. I believe he is now based in Jamaica. Invite him to return to keep things running either in the interim or permanently, as it might take some time to get Reynolds/Alcoa interested.
(vi) Invite Dunstan Barrow, formerly General Manager, GUYMINE, to head a Board of Directors to ensure the smooth continuation of operations. He has a highly rated track record in the Bauxite Industry. In addition he had very close ties with Reynolds/Alcoa.
Rusal must be condignly dealt with as persona non grata in Guyana permanently. All political parties must be ad idem i.e. of the same view in this respect, regardless of divergent political views. No expatriate Company or person must be allowed to demonstrate such gross contempt, disregard and disrespect for this nation in general and its workers and the Trade Unions in particular. All politicians, like Honourable Amna Ally, must have the guts to speak out loudly and clearly, without reservations and without inhibitions and take positive remedial action. If the Russian Federation had been similarly insulted by a Guyanese Company operating in that country, Putin would have given 72 hours’ notice to leave the territory!
Little David killed the giant Goliath with a ‘sling shot’. Lions make Leopards tame but cannot change their spots.
Yours faithfully,
R.O. Bostwick
Former Personnel and Administrative Manager,
Aroaima Mining Company
