THE Ministry of Social Protection (MoSP) has written Australian-owned Troy Resources Inc., directing the “cessation of all mining activities with immediate effect until further notice” at all the company’s operations here.

The order comes in light of a preliminary investigation at the company’s “Hicks One Extension” pit where miner, Ryan Taylor, died last Tuesday.

The People’s United and General Workers Union (PUGWU), the union representing the workers, believes that Taylor’s death was avoidable, noting that it has been receiving complaints from workers since last year on issues of safety.

In the ministry’s letter signed by Minister with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, the ministry informed that following the initial investigation, further inquiry at the company will begin from Friday, October 11.

The company has three pits, the other two being “Larkin” and “Smarts Three”.
Taylor died while on duty, after he was buried beneath the rubble of part of the mining pit which collapsed. A decision was taken on October 9 to cordon off the “Hicks One Extension” pit until a thorough investigation involving all stakeholders was completed.
Now all the pits will have to be investigated.

“An officer of the Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health Department has conducted a preliminary investigation which has determined that there is need for further inquiry, particularly in relation to Larkin and Smarts Three,” the letter said.
“This decision is taken with the utmost concern for the safety and lives of the most valued resource which is our human resource – managerial and non-managerial alike,” the letter added.

The minister noted that the company will be informed of when permission will be granted for mining to resume, with permission contingent on the ministry being satisfied that there is no foreseeable impediment to the safety of employees.
In addition to the MoSP, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission is also expected to be carrying out a thorough investigation of the company’s gold mining operations in the Cuyuni/Mazaruni area.

UNCOOPERATIVE
PUGWU President, Lincoln Lewis, said when the union approached the company after receiving complaints last year, the company continually became uncooperative after a report was made to the Occupational Safety and Health Department (OSHD).
“We got complaints last year, starting sometime around September and we were expecting a meeting with management but they keep putting it off so what we did, we draw it to the attention of the Labour Department and GGMC,” Lewis noted.
The complaints were specific to the pits.

“It was primarily that the pit is unsafe, that the ‘benching’ of the mining operations they are not comfortable with that. The walls are too steep, too horizontal. The pit, the depth that you are going down in comparison to the top opening of the pit was too narrow, and persons were saying that there are times when the wall had been falling, debris from the wall have been falling down and they’re not comfortable with it and that’s why we went to GGMC in the first instance. I understand that the GGMC was in there,” Lewis explained.
From complaints made to the OSHD and GGMC, Lewis said the OSHD did an investigation and reported that they were comfortable with the level of safety at the pits.
Lewis said it became a difficult fight for the union after that.

“After that management refused to engage the union and wrote one long letter about being disappointed when the law permits that we do so. We had agreed on a date to visit the operations but after we complained to the OSH Department, they kept postponing for a long time. This year, they decided we can visit but said clearly that we cannot visit the plants neither can we go at the mines. We made two visits this year, we went there and we were able to talk to the workers on site, at the campsite where they work,” Lewis said.
The union is now working with Taylor’s family to consider taking legal action against the company.

“This is as a result of what they did. Accidents are caused; there is always a cause to it. If a wall break down you can’t come to tell me is the employees fault. The wall should be constructed in a way that it shouldn’t break, based on your operation,” Lewis said.
The union is also calling for an inquest into Taylor’s death.

“I want to see first and foremost an inquest being held and who is culpable should be held accountable. That will determine the course of action in the future,” Lewis said.