Govt. team visits Rusal…Task Force established to deal with possible loss of jobs

Apr 26, 2018 News

Workers paying keen attention to address by Ministers and members of the task force.

The Coalition government has established a task force to ensure workers of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) are not adversely affected by recent sanctions affecting parent company Russia Aluminium (RUSAL).
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, yesterday visited Rusal Guyana’s operations, located in Kwakwani, Region 10 to deliver the assurances first hand to workers.
Rusal Guyana is a majority shareholder in BCGI and a subsidiary of Russian owned RUSAL.
“We are here to assure you that we are not going to see your jobs just go aside. We are going to be fighting,” Minister Trotman told workers.

He announced that a task force headed by Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, will be leading this effort.
A proposal was made to Cabinet on Tuesday to establish the task force which would address the “crisis that could come” and address general company workers relations, a government statement said yesterday of the visit.
Last week, the United States Treasury Department announced the sanctions against RUSAL which would effectively ban the company from conducting business in American currency. The sanctions were to take effect in June but this week the Treasury Department announced it is pushing back the deadline to October 23 to give American companies time to wind down business with RUSAL.
Germany-owned shippers, Oldendorff Carriers, had announced a June 5 pullout from Guyana. However, this may be cancelled now if the US sanctions are eased further.
The task force is a cautionary measure and includes Finance Minister Winston Jordan, Members of Parliament Jermaine Figueira and Audwin Rutherford, General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GBGWU), Lincoln Lewis, and the Department of Labour.
“Rusal, the company, the management and its workers have to find a way to work together to save this industry. The government of Guyana has a duty to stand and work with you to save your jobs,” Minister Trotman said.
Minister Broomes also gave assurances to workers that the task force will work in their best interest.

Minister Raphael Trotman addressing BCGI workers.

“Just know the reason for the task force is not to sit down and take information, but to come with solutions,” Minister Broomes said.
GBGWU’s General Secretary, Lewis, echoed the call for collaboration between workers and the company to further the task force’s work.
“It is for you to give the government the mandate as to the way forward. The government representatives … have made the point that the government is not prepared to leave you in the wilderness but to stand with you,” he said.
Managing Director of BCGI, Valerii Vinokurov, explained that the mining operations had halted operations following the announcement of the sanctions.
Rusal Guyana will now resume work after being stalled for some 10 days. He added that contractor, Oldendorff Carriers, will also continue its work with the company.
Additionally, BCGI is working with the Bank of Guyana to open accounts in Euro currency to continue operations.
“I want to assure you there is nothing to be afraid of. Rusal company is not going anywhere we will continue to work and produce here in Guyana,” Vinokurov assured through a translator.
There are over 500 workers at the two Rusal mines located at Aroaima and Kurubuka, Region 10.
More than 100 are said to be at Oldendorff, which has a base in the Berbice River area.

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