The Ministry of Labour has launched a full-scale investigation into the working practices at Zijin Mining Aurora Goldfield operations after a violent incident involving a Guyanese worker and one of the Chinese managers was captured on video.
In the video recording, the worker could be seen at first sitting across from a group of Chinese Managers complaining about the lack of safety equipment and safety gear for the underground mining operations.
While it was unclear what the managers said in response to the complaint, the worker could be seen jumping suddenly to his feet and hurling a chair at one of the managers. Another video, showed the worker lashing out at the manager outside of the room, with other workers holding him back.
News Source understands that the worker has since been fired and removed from the site. Other workers, who spoke with News Source today, said for months the workers who have to work in the underground mining pit have been complaining about the lack of proper safety equipment and the company’s continued failure to acquire safety gear.
One worker said the situation has become so bad, that in many instances the workers would have to share safety gear with each other between shifts.
The complaints have been rising especially after several workers collapsed and fell ill while in the underground mining tunnel. There have been cases of some of them bleeding from their nose and ears and it is suspected that the situation may be as a result of the pressure in the underground mining areas.
“We have been complaining long long and these people don’t have time with us. Many days many of the guys have been falling sick, and the most they would do is send them to the medical team on site and make no other effort to address the problem”, one worker said.
A senior Government official today told News Source that a full investigation is being undertaken by the Ministry of Labour, with a large team of investigators expected to visit the mining site and speak to the workers and the managers about the situation.
News Source has learnt that the Labour Ministry has received various additional reports about the working conditions and other issues at the mining site.
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