Government’s current PR stunt on bauxite industry fails to fool the bauxite community in Guyana

The current public relations stunt by the Government of Guyana on matters relating to the bauxite industry have not and will not fool the communities and workers whose lives are directly affected by bauxite.

December 2012 marked three years since the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) has refused to treat with the Guyana Bauxite & General Workers Union (GB&GWU), which is a violation of Section 23 of the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Act, Chapter 98:01. The Minister of Labor, Dr Nanda Gopaul, who has given the High Court a commitment to reissue the Letter of Arbitration, is still to act, and the GB&GWU believes his decision is another act of contempt the PPP has for the rule of law and the judiciary.

The heightened interest shown by the government in bauxite is only because it is making money while the Russians and Chinese so far have shown no respect for our laws and Guyanese. The government, and by extension the people of Guyana, have co-ownership of BCGI and BOSAI but to date this government has refused to ensure respect for the laws of the land and the rights of bauxite workers and their families. These violations constitute a new form of exploitation of Guyana’s labor force. Though there are laws that clearly state how workers must be treated and employers comply, when it comes to bauxite workers the government turns a blind eye to their mistreatment because it serves their purpose. In other societies bauxite workers would have been used as model workers with unions and companies trying to emulate their standards. Performance, competence and innovation are not admired and rewarded under this administration.

These qualities are misguidedly seen as opportunities for exploitation by a government which is clearly out of its depth on matters of good governance and management. And this letter serves to remind the government that the bauxite workforce too is Guyanese. The General Manager who had threatened workers with a spade has been returned to the Aroaima location even as BCGI in their own inquiry stated that this manager’s conduct was unbecoming. The manager can only be brought back because the government is party to the programme of disrespect and oppression.