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Government begins probe into allegations of Amerindian exploitation

May 25, 2010 News

A special team has been put together to investigate allegations by at least four male Amerindians from Lethem against the owners of China Trading Company in Robb Street. The team is spearheaded by the Ministry of Labour.
While not going into details, Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir said that he has seen the reports in the Kaieteur News and is deeply concerned. As such, he has mandated his officers to immediately investigate the situation and report back to him.
On Saturday, two ex-employees of the China Trading Company told this newspaper that they had been recruited at Lethem “for store work” in the city. When they arrived in Georgetown, however, they were taken to a construction site to work instead. The men, aged 24 and 18, also described the housing accommodations provided for them in D’urban Backlands, behind the Chinese Embassy, which is located on Mandela Avenue. A bond owned by the company was divided into rooms which were shared by four persons at a time. The wooden beds provided had no mattresses.
Their hours of work were from as early as seven in the morning to midnight most days. There was no recreation time, and they were refused permission to leave the compound to seek relaxation elsewhere.
A spokesperson for the company later that day, denied the allegations, while at the same time admitting that a friend of the company who is located at Lethem, would help to recruit workers from that community. The spokesperson also admitted that there were no mattresses on the beds.
The ex-employees had also alleged that they were not provided with proper meals and that they did not receive the pay that they were promised.
On Sunday, two more ex-employees, teenaged brothers from Lethem, came forward and confirmed the allegations made against the Chinese company. The teenagers added that since they worked Sunday to Sunday there was no time for laundry, and they had no choice but to continue wearing soiled clothes all the time. They also claimed that they were given ‘bare rice’ to eat.
They claimed that they were forced to drink alcohol and partake in sex with two young Amerindian girls who were also housed in the bond.
The teenagers stated that their Chinese employer and his other Chinese employees would take turns having sex with the girls and with the youngest of the Amerindian boys.
The first two persons to come forward have since confirmed the sexual allegations made by the teenagers. The manner in which they did so suggested that they were ashamed to reveal this fact during the initial interview because of their involvement.

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