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Indian workers caught up in TIP scandal to be paid on Thursday – Labour Ministry
(Kaieteur News) – The ongoing dispute between Region 7 mining operator EKAA Earth Resources Management Inc. (EKAA HRM) and 37 of its Indian national employees reached a turning point on Friday. Following a high-level inter-agency meeting and a tense public protest, the company has officially committed to paying all outstanding wages on or before May 27, 2026.
The breakthrough came during emergency consultations led by the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning. The session brought together officials from the Ministries of Legal Affairs, Home Affairs, and Human Services, alongside company representatives, the affected workers, and the acting Indian High Commissioner.
According to a ministry statement, while the May 27 payment deadline has been locked in, the investigation into wider allegations remains active. Both sides have undertaken to supply additional supporting documentation in the coming week, with sources relating that the workers have been asked to produce physical evidence regarding claims that their salaries were improperly cut.
Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning Keoma Griffith (center) surrounded by Ministry officials, Acting Indian High Commissioner Manoj Kumar and EKAA HRM company representatives ON Friday.
The government intervention followed a Thursday afternoon press conference where EKAA executives categorically rejected allegations circulating on social media regarding human trafficking, forced labour, and substandard working conditions.
According to Chief Operating Officer Sivakumar and Human Resources Consultant Yoganand Persaud, a former Chief Labour Officer for Guyana, the 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 company’s Region 7 quarry site. A subsequent post-mortem examination confirmed he suffered a mild heart attack.
“The death of a member of our workforce is the gravest matter we can face,” COO Sivakumar stated, noting that the company is fully cooperating with authorities.
Sivakumar confirmed that EKAA has funded and finalised funeral coordination, medical embalming, and repatriation arrangements. The company is currently clearing statutory paperwork with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs, and the Indian High Commission to return Chetri’s remains to his family.
In the wake of the tragedy, workers expressed severe anxiety over medical emergencies in the remote terrain. In response, EKAA has promised to station a dedicated health officer directly inside the camp. Previously, medical emergencies relied on a boat captain from Batavia village to transport patients to the Batavia Primary Health Centre or Bartica Hospital.
To combat allegations of labour abuse, EKAA management utilised a digital projector during the press conference to display internal records, tax documents, and photographic logs. Despite the company’s defence, the friction on the ground remains palpable. Thursday morning, 37 Indian national workers staged a protest outside the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning.
The protesting workers claimed that EKAA, which they allege only recently returned their passports, had contacted their families in India claiming they went missing. “We are not missing! We are right here!” the workers insisted to Kaieteur News. “We just want our money and our ticket to go back to India!”
EKAA officials noted that roughly 10 to 15 Indian employees refused to participate in the protests, signaling satisfaction with their treatment. The Ministry of Labour emphasised that the process remains ongoing, emphasising that the State will continue to be guided by the principles of due process and strict compliance with the laws of Guyana. EKAA management has reiterated its willingness to sit down with regulators and the Indian High Commission to review individual contracts, finalise return airfares for those concluding their tenure, and resolve the matter through formal regulatory channels.
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