SEVERAL employees attached to the K & B Mining Company operating in the interior are complaining of exploitation by their employer.Some employees who were paid last Friday by the company reported that they were aghast to find varying amounts had been deducted from their salaries without an explanation. Some said that they collected their salaries and noticed that 15% was taken out without any explanation.
The men also charged that the company sells them groceries and other items at alarming prices, even though VAT had been removed from several items.
A few men who are attached to the dredge camps said that they are made to purchase powdered milk, which they were initially told would have been given to them free of charge.

NO PAYSLIPS
They also reported that they were surprised at not being given pay slips with their salaries.
According to reports from employees in the interior, some persons are made to work 12-hour night shifts and are paid $1,000 for every ounce of gold produced, although upon taking the jobs they were promised $2,000.

Some employees said they are made to pay $1,500 for a pound of powdered milk, even though VAT has been removed from that item. According to the employees, a small tube of Colgate toothpaste is being sold for $500, while a small bottle of water costs them $500, a good $400 more than what they pay in the city.
A roll of toilet paper costs $500; so too a bar of Lux bath soap, a toothbrush, and a bottle of Smalta. In addition, some employees complained that the dire conditions under which persons operating the pits have to work are hazardous to their health.

10% TRIBUTARY TAX
When the company was contacted yesterday at their Industry, East Coast Demerara office, their accountant said that regarding deductions from the workers’ salaries, the company was contacted by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) with a directive to deduct a 10% tributary tax from the earnings of all employees. The accountant added that the company will do all it can to ensure that the employees are briefed about the new deduction to avoid any disagreements.
The tributary tax deducted is sent to the GRA, according to the accountant.
He further stated that their pits were in “tip-top” shape and K & B Mining would welcome any routine inspections by the relevant authorities at anytime. Commenting on the overpricing of items, he said that it is expensive to transport goods to the interior and so they are forced to hike the price on items. However, he did not comment on whether dredge camp workers were promised $2,000 instead of the $1,000 they are being paid on every ounce of gold.
When contacted Tuesday, a representative of the Ministry of Social Protection’s Labour Department said the ministry is very concerned about exploitation of workers by employers and will therefore investigate the matter.