NATURAL Resources Minister Raphael Trotman said though there is some degree of uncertainty surrounding the future operations of RUSAL and its subsidiary – the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc, there is a window of hope.

At the time he was briefing Cabinet on the impact of the U.S. Government- imposed sanctions on RUSAL. During his briefing on Tuesday, Minister Trotman told government ministers that there was no credibility to reports in the local media, which suggested that RUSAL intended to close operations; however, the fate of the company contracted to ship bauxite from Aroaima in the Upper Berbice River, Region 10, to the mouth of the Berbice River – Olendorff Carriers – remains a challenge; that company has opted to abide by the sanctions, he explained. However, Minister Trotman told Cabinet that RUSAL is in the process of sourcing an alternative shipping company and thus far, a number of companies have signalled their interest.

While the date for imposition of the sanctions has been extended to November 12, 2018, from October 2, 2018, the natural resources minister admitted that there remains a degree of uncertainty. Nevertheless, he said, there was a window of hope that the situation would normalise. Minister of State Joseph Harmon said the task force set up to address industrial relations issues, in the light of U.S.-imposed sanctions on the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) – a subsidiary of Russian Aluminum Inc. (RUSAL), is continuing its work.

No mention, however, was made of the interim report he reportedly received from the task force which he activated in April, shortly after the U.S. government imposed the sanction in response to Moscow’s alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, had headed the task force, but resigned shortly after the interim report was handed over to Minister Trotman. The task force, in that interim report, said if RUSAL is forced to close its operations here due to the sanctions, the workers should be given a similar payment package that was applied by LINMINE, BERMINE and OMAI, in the past. “Based on the decision of the companies to terminate their operations in Guyana, and since they have benefited from concessions given to the mining sector, they pay a similar package that was applied in the case of LINMINE in 1993 and onward; BERMINE in 2002 and onward; and OMAI Gold Mines in 2004. This means that the minimum pay for each year of service shall be equivalent to six weeks for each year of service to the maximum of two years’ pay in benefits,” the task force recommended in its interim report, which was seen by the Guyana Chronicle.

According to the report, workers’ representation by the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) and People’s United and General Workers Union (PU&GWU) at BCGI and Oldendorff Carriers, respectively, has been fraught with challenges. As such, a recommendation has been made for Compulsory Arbitration in keeping with the Labour Act.
Minister Trotman had told this newspaper that he had no knowledge of an interim report submitted by the task force to him. General-Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GBGWU), Lincoln Lewis, who was a member of the task force, told this newspaper that the government must do all in its power to safeguard the livelihoods of workers.

“It is not unlike this company (BCGI) to fold up, to close the plant, get rid of the workers and think about selling it or reopen at some other time,” Lewis had posited.