‘Aurora mine clash exposes deep, criminal neglect of workers’ – Sharma Solomon

Nov 27, 2025 News

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(Kaieteur News) – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament, Sharma Solomon says the recent confrontation between a frustrated underground worker and a manager at Zijin Mining’s Aurora Goldfield must be treated as a national alarm bell, not an isolated outburst.

In a statement issued on Wednesday Solomon said the incident reflects a longstanding pattern of abuse, exploitation, and dangerous working conditions that has plagued the former Guyana Goldfields operation, now under the control of Zijin and much of the broader extractive industry.

Solomon said workers across the sector have long raised complaints about unsafe tunnels, persistent shortages of protective equipment, bullying, intimidation, and serious health incidents underground. Reports of men collapsing, bleeding from their ears and nose, and sharing safety gear between shifts, he stressed, are “not only unacceptable, but criminally negligent.”

The MP said all must be done to discourage and prevent such incidents from occurring. However, he said for years, workers at this site and across the industry have raised alarms about unsafe tunnels, chronic shortages of protective gear, severe health episodes underground, persistent bullying and intimidation. Solomon referred to the Minister of Finance’s Mid-Year Report, which he said shows that gold earnings, particularly the growth at Guyana Goldfield, are strong and rising. “This level of profitability should directly benefit the workers who make it possible and should be afforded safer conditions, fair compensation, and proper protections. Yet, despite the sector’s growth, many workers continue to face unsafe environments and inadequate treatment. This is unacceptable.”

“This situation did not emerge overnight. Guyana Goldfields has a documented history of poor labour practices, managerial hostility, and disregard for occupational safety standards. Over the past year, abuses in the extractive sector have grown more visible through exposure of unsafe worksites, unregulated subcontracting, and recurring accidents across gold, bauxite, and quarrying operations. These are symptoms of an industry operating without proper oversight and without consequences,” Solomon, a former mayor of the mining town of Linden said. “What makes this current situation worse is the continued silence and absence of strong representation from those tasked with protecting the National Workforce. The government’s engagement has been sporadic, reactive, and often after the fact, only launching full investigations after public outrage or leaked videos.”
Solomon said this absence of proper representation and oversight by the government through its Ministries and agencies has left workers desperate, unheard, and increasingly fearful for their lives. He said it is against this backdrop that we are seeing incidents as those escalated on camera. This must now be a turning point.

“The safety, dignity, and rights of Guyanese workers cannot be negotiable. The extractive sector is one of our country’s most profitable industries and cannot be allowed to function as a lawless zone where foreign companies benefit while Guyanese citizens bleed, collapse, or die underground. A thorough investigation involving not only the Ministry of Labour but also occupational safety experts, medical personnel, and a parliamentary oversight committee from National Resources and Labour must be involved. A detailed report on working conditions of companies within the extractive sector, including Goldfields, must be conducted,” Solomon demanded.

He said the government must also seek to establish a National Extractive Workers Protection Framework, guaranteeing safe reporting mechanisms, whistleblower protection, and medical monitoring for underground workers. “Workers in the mining sector are the backbone of a multibillion-dollar industry, representing some of the largest earnings for our country. Guyana owes them more than reactive investigations and promises. As valued stakeholders, they are owed better representation.”

In a series of press releases and videos, the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party first brought the issue at the company to light. The party urged the government to take immediate action. The party said that the company’s underground mining operations are highly profitable, yet employees say their health, safety, and overall wellbeing are routinely compromised. According to the party, workers report inadequate safety measures, with personal protective equipment (PPE) often old or unavailable for local staff, while Chinese workers receive proper gear. The party said that equipment and vehicles, including loaders and lifting machinery, are poorly maintained, with some machinery lacking functional brakes.

Additionally, WIN says meals for local employees are transported in unhygienic conditions, exposed to dust and contaminants, sometimes spoiled and containing worms with no temperature control or designated dining facilities. In contrast, WIN said Chinese staff have access to air-conditioned dining rooms. In the area of salary and other benefits, WIN says wage disparities and delayed payments further aggravate the workforce. The party noted that underground personnel, working more than 1,500 feet below ground, earn roughly $500 per hour during probation, with minimal increases after six months, despite hazardous conditions. Workers say requests for fair compensation are denied, and complaints are met with threats of termination and replacement by foreign staff, WIN reported. The company’s practices, the party said violate labour rights, safety standards, and fair treatment principles, leaving local workers vulnerable and unheard.

In reacting to WIN’s statement, the Ministry of Labour in statement said it had moved swiftly to address growing concerns over the working conditions at the company. Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, confirmed that no formal complaints had been lodged prior to the release of the videos. “This is the first time these concerns have been brought to our attention in such a public manner, and we will treat them with the seriousness they deserve,” he said. In response, Minister Griffith has instructed the Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department to launch an immediate and thorough investigation into the allegations. The ministry will also consult all relevant stakeholders to verify facts and determine the proper course of action. Regarding wage disputes and benefits, the minister urged both employees and employers to come forward and engage in a peaceful conciliation process at the ministry, in line with the Labour Act, which is designed to ensure fairness and resolution for all parties involved.

Minister Griffith reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to upholding workers’ rights and ensuring that workplaces across Guyana are safe and healthy. He stressed that while the Labour Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act provide the legal framework for employer-employee relations, the ministry remains focused on strengthening protections and enforcing compliance across all sectors. Kaieteur News understands that the workers and the company held talks with the ministry on Wednesday, but up to press time there was no formal update on the situation.

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• APNU, Aurora mine, neglect of workers, Sharma Solomon, Zijin Mining

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