Latest update December 21st, 2024 1:52 AM
OSH Dept. investigating allegations of poor handling of COVID-19 infections at AGM
The Ministry of Labour.
Kaieteur News – The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department of the Ministry of Labour is currently investigating allegations that COVID-19 infections at the Aurora Gold Mines (AGM) operated by the Zijin Mining Group are being inadequately handled.
The OSH Department’s Director, Gweneth King, who spoke to Kaieteur News via telephone yesterday, confirmed this.
In a recent engagement with this newspaper, a source stated that there have been a notable number of infections recorded at the AGM worksite located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); however, the company has treated the situation lightly. According to the source, this is because the worksite is still operating as normal, despite management being cognisant of employees testing positive for the virus.
The source further noted that workers were not informed that there are infected persons at the worksite until after they have left, and in addition to refusing to shut down operations, the company has not mandated all other employees to undergo a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to confirm whether there are more cases that are active.
Kaieteur News was told that the company had set up a COVID-19 testing site at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, since the airport is usually used to transport workers into the mines. There is also a trail that can be used by vehicles to drive from Essequibo to the Aurora Mines, but since persons are not tested on that route, the source believes that most of the cases came through there.
It was also disclosed that other COVID-19 protocols, such as mask wearing were being breached. “They tried as much as they could with the mask or so, but they lapsed in actually identifying and containing individuals with COVID. There were instances where people with COVID were walking around freely in the accounts department,” the source lamented.
The source also recalled the employees’ frustration and said they were of the contention that the management is “putting their pockets in front of the interests of people.”
In light of the investigation being conducted and many similar reports of the same situation at AGM reaching this publication, many questions have now surfaced regarding the Ministry of Health’s role in the handling of the pandemic, especially at industrial work sites.
Usually, when a person contracts COVID-19, contact tracing is done to mitigate further spread of the virus and identify potential infections; however, it seems as though this measure is currently not being exercised given the number of complaints Kaieteur News has received. Additionally, if data were recorded detailing the number of infected cases from a particular worksite, the Government; through the National COVID-19 Task Force has the authority to shut it down.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The GRA is batting out of its crease
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has once again demonstrated a perplexing propensity... more
Let the asylum seekers go: a first step for Venezuela to rebuild relations in the Americas
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – The government of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela has steadfast support from many... more
Weekend Cartoon
