Indian company denies trafficking workers

May 22, 2026 News

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…claims employees asked for their passports to be kept

(Kaieteur News) – EKAA Earth Resources Management Inc. (EKAA HRM), a mining company operating in Region 7, has broken its silence following allegations of forced labour, human trafficking, and substandard working conditions.

At a press conference Thursday afternoon, company executives categorically rejected claims that they confiscated employee passports or subjected workers to “slavery”.

Tragedy Catalyzes Labour Dispute

According to Chief Operating Officer Sivakumar and Human Resources Consultant Yoganand Persaud, a former Chief Labour Officer for Guyana, the current crisis stems from an emotional imbalance within the workforce following a sudden tragedy.

On May 12, 2026, Shekhar Chetri, an Indian national employed by EKAA, collapsed and died at the Region 7 operations site.

“The death of a member of our workforce is the gravest matter we can face,” COO Sivakumar stated, extending deep condolences to the family. “We are cooperating fully with the authorities investigating his death. His post-mortem report by the health authorities has confirmed he suffered a mild heart attack.”

Sivakumar stated that EKAA has paid for and finalized funeral coordination, embalming, and repatriation arrangements through Memorial Gardens and Crematorium. The company is currently processing statutory clearances with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs, and the High Commission of India, alongside a clearance agent in India to ensure the remains reach Chetri’s residence safely.

Following the death, Sivakumar traveled to the quarry on May 15 to address the shaken workforce. Employees expressed severe anxiety over medical emergencies in the remote island-like terrain of Region 7. In response, EKAA management promised to station a dedicated health officer directly inside the camp. Previously, medical needs were serviced via a boat captain from Batavia village who transported workers to the Batavia Primary Health Center, Bartica Hospital, or complex cases onward to Charlestown.

Company Produces Evidence Disputing Allegations

To counter the public allegations publicized on social media, EKAA displayed internal records, tax documents, and photographic logs via a projector to members of the media:

1. Outstanding Wages & Statutory Remittances

The company rejected claims of wage theft, confirming all salary obligations up to March 2026 were fully settled. Outstanding payments for April and proportional days worked in May are being processed in the standard course of the month. To prove statutory compliance, EKAA showcased GRA and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) complaints vouchers and VAT data covering January, February, and March 2026.

2. Substandard Food and Camp Conditions

Dismissing claims of poor rations, EKAA presented logs from its internal “Kitchen Tracker” digital group. Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are prepared by chefs brought from India to match dietary preferences. The company produced procurement receipts showing consistent weekly and monthly grocery purchases of fresh vegetables, meat, and eggs from local provisioning stores like Mattais, Balram, and vendors in Bartica and Georgetown.

Furthermore, camp accommodation photographs displayed ventilated living structures fitted with fans, weather protection, and an engineered secondary over-roof built specifically for heat prevention.

3. Isolation and Connectivity

Addressing the logistical isolation of Region 7, EKAA showed receipts proving they pay approximately $255,000 GYD monthly for uninterrupted, unrestricted Wi-Fi via three dedicated devices so workers can maintain contact with their families in India.

4. 4. Passport Confiscation and Forced Labour

EKAA unequivocally denied keeping workers against their will or confiscating identification. The company displayed an active ledger dating from May 31, 2024, to May 20, 2026, wherein workers voluntarily signed out their passports for personal transactions, such as opening local bank accounts, applying for Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN), and securing driver’s licences. Management highlighted that workers routinely enjoyed unsupervised freedom of movement, traveling independently on Sundays to Bartica for leisure, making holiday trips to Georgetown, and actively participating in Batavia’s Heritage Village sporting and community events.

Fears Over Employee Welfare Outside the Camp

EKAA officials emphasized that approximately 10 to 15 Indian national employees refused to participate in the protest actions, reporting to management that they are satisfied with their wages and treatment. The company expressed deep concern for the 37 workers currently away from the campsite under what they consider to be third-party supervision.

EKAA management reiterated that they are entirely ready to sit down in the presence of the Ministry of Labour and the Indian High Commission to review individual contracts, assess any legitimate funds owed, and facilitate return airfares for those whose contracts are near completion. They pleaded for the workers to return to the formal regulatory process rather than trying the matter in public spaces.

Earlier in the day, the thirty-seven Indian nationals protested outside the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning. They contend that EKAA Company, which only recently returned their passports, has been calling their families claiming they are missing. However, the workers insisting, “We are not missing! We are right here! We just want our money and our ticket to go back to India!”

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• EKAA HRM, forced labour, human trafficking, Indian company, trafficking workers

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