Dear Editor,
I ask for space in your newspaper to highlight a matter of national concern involving the treatment of Guyanese workers at the Chinese‑owned Zijin Mining Group (Aurora Gold Mines). Disturbing reports continue to emerge from the worksite, and the most recent revelations point to a serious breakdown in basic standards of health, safety, and human dignity.
Workers have shared new video evidence on February 24, 2026, with the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Azruddin Mohamed, purportedly showing flies, hair, and pieces of plastic in the meals being provided to them. Editor, this is not an isolated complaint or a minor lapse in kitchen hygiene. It is a clear indication that the conditions under which these workers are expected to live and labour have continuously deteriorated to an unacceptable level. No Guyanese citizen should ever be placed in a position where they must choose between going hungry or consuming food that is visibly contaminated.
These latest developments must be viewed within a broader context. Over the past year, there has been a consistent pattern of labour violations and unsafe working environments reported across several Chinese‑owned companies operating in Guyana. Zijin Mining Group (Aurora Gold Mines) has been one of the most prominent examples, with national media documenting a range of issues — from unpaid wages and intimidation to overcrowded worksites and the absence of proper safety protocols. The Ministry of Labour itself, as reported by both the Guyana Chronicle and the Guyana Time on November 26, 2025, confirmed several of these concerns following the November 24, 2025, confrontation between workers and management.
What we are witnessing now is not a new problem, but a worsening one.
This continued disregard for the wellbeing of Guyanese workers reflects a troubling trend of Chinese‑owned companies operating without adequate oversight or accountability. It is deeply concerning that practices which would never be tolerated in their own countries are being imposed on our people here. Even more troubling is the fact that the Government of Guyana continues to exhibit a blatant disregard for the unfair labour practices and injustices meted out to our Guyanese workforce, despite repeated warnings, documented violations, and clear evidence of mistreatment.
What makes this situation further unacceptable is the scale of profit being extracted from our nation’s resources. According to publicly reported financial disclosures issued on August 26, 2025, Zijin earned over US$200 million in just the first six months of 2025 from the Aurora Gold Mine alone. It is unconscionable that a company generating such a whopping revenue from Guyana’s gold reserves would subject the very workers responsible for that production to contaminated food, unsafe conditions, and inhumane treatment. The contrast between their earnings and their treatment of Guyanese workers is both stark and shameful.
The PPP/C Government should not be permitting any foreign company — regardless of size, nationality, or investment — to violate labour laws, compromise worker safety, or degrade the dignity of our citizens. The role of the State is to protect its people, not to turn a blind eye while foreign corporations enrich themselves at the expense of Guyanese workers’ health and wellbeing.
Editor, given the seriousness of the situation, this is a clarion call for the Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning to take immediate and decisive action. To reinforce my concerns, I have since written to the subject Minister, Hon. Keoma Griffith, outlining the egregious injustices being inflicted upon Guyanese workers in the mining sector by certain Chinese-owned companies.
Guyanese workers deserve better. They deserve workplaces that are safe, sanitary, and respectful of their humanity. No foreign company should be allowed to profit from our nation’s resources while violating our citizens in ways that undermine their health, dignity, and rights.
I trust that the relevant stakeholders will move swiftly to address this appalling situation.