Latest update July 22nd, 2026 12:47 AM
Latest News
- MV Barima Disaster… Death toll now pegged at 103
- Another boat calamity… Several injured, captain critical after boat collision in Canje River
- Opposition Leader calls for Edghill’s resignation
- Pres. Ali declares three days of mourning following capsizing of MV Barima
- ‘US$12.7M MV Ma Lisha still idle’ …embattled Edghill blames shifting soil, failed Port Kaituma wharf
‘Three months, no pay’ …Wales gas project bus drivers protest unpaid salaries
(Kaieteur News) – More than 10 local bus drivers contracted to work at the Gas-to-Energy Project in Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD) protested on Wednesday, citing months of unpaid salaries, deplorable working conditions, and allegations of immediate termination threats if they speak out.
Contractor Adrian Duncan defended his position in an invited comment to Kaieteur News “I wouldn’t be able to give any comment to Kaieteur News but I will say that everyone is being paid, sometimes payments are being made late…most companies have that problem.”
The demonstration attracted members of the Opposition, including Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed, alongside Members of Parliament Nandrani Singh, Vishnu Panday, and Dr. Andre Lewis, who levelled criticism at the government and the Minister of Labour Keoma Griffith for failing to protect Guyanese workers once again.
Hundreds of GTE workers were left stranded on Wednesday as more than 10 contracted bus drivers protested after not being paid 3 months wages and salaries. Their privately owned buses were parked at the GTE site. During the protest, the drivers lamented not having money to pay their rent nor to sustain their families. During the protest, the drivers received a text from their employer indicating that they will be paid on Friday or Saturday.
Hundreds of GTE workers were left stranded on Wednesday as more than 10 contracted bus drivers protested after not being paid 3 months wages and salaries. Their privately owned buses were parked at the GTE site. During the protest, the drivers lamented not having money to pay their rent nor to sustain their families. During the protest, the drivers received a text from their employer indicating that they will be paid on Friday or Saturday.
The affected drivers, who utilise their personal vehicles to transport approximately 1,000 workers to and from the site daily, revealed that they have not received payments for March, April, and May.
Dwayne Griffith, a driver and father of nine, stated that he has been working since March without a salary and is currently owed roughly $800,000.
“The boss always telling us, next week, next week, and every time next week comes, he’s not paying us,” Griffith explained. “Our vehicles are damaging up; we have to find money for gas. It’s real hard… We need justice concerning this matter here.”
A text message sent to drivers by the contractor promising payment by weekend
The financial strain has reportedly caused severe domestic issues for multiple drivers. Griffith and fellow driver Phillip Trotman both noted that because they leave home as early as 2:00 a.m. and return late without earnings, their spouses have accused them of infidelity and hiding their income.
“I am a father of four. I am renting a house and I got all my children going to school,” Trotman said. “My wife is thinking like I got somebody else outside… We getting bad name because somebody failed to pay we for what we done work for.”
Broken Promises and Foreign Labour Domination
Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and MP Vishnu Panday highlighted a massive disparity in the project’s workforce composition, claiming that out of approximately 1,500 workers currently employed by the main contractor, Lindsayca Guyana Inc, only about 50 are Guyanese.
The Opposition officials emphasised that the current administration had previously promised that the Gas-to-Energy project would provide direct employment for the hundreds of cane cutters displaced by the closure of the Wales Sugar Estate.
“Today, you betray all the people, all the cane cutters, all the people living along the West Bank,” Mohamed stated, addressing Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. “We got sheer foreigners working here, reaping the benefits, while Guyanese are left stranded. The job is nothing technical, it is to drive machines, servicemen work, mechanic work, labour, tie steel, carpentry, and cleaning.” Mohamed further alleged that the heavy reliance on foreign labour from Venezuela, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic is a deliberate cost-saving measure by sub-contractors to avoid paying National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes for local workers.
Hazardous Infrastructure and Substandard Amenities
Drivers described the access road from Patentia to the Wales project site as nearly impassable, comparing it unfavourably to the Lethem trail. The rough terrain has reportedly resulted in extensive vehicle damage, forcing drivers to pay out-of-pocket for constant repairs.
“The road is extremely bad,” driver Balram Singh noted. “This man reach in an accident the other day with my bus. And when we asked to sign contracts, there’s no contracts. That’s the first thing that is suspicious.”
Additionally, drivers highlighted a complete absence of basic sanitary facilities at the staging areas. Trotman revealed that drivers face immediate dismissal if caught relieving themselves near the vehicles, forcing them into the surrounding bushes.
“They don’t have no way to urine… If you want to defecate, you got to hide and defecate in the bush,” Trotman stated.
Exploitation and Retaliation Claims
The drivers identified the local transportation sub-contractor as Adrian Duncan, who manages the fleet for Lindsayca Guyana Inc. According to workers, Duncan utilises a rigid payment structure, paying only for 26 days a month ($312,000) rather than standard monthly rates that can reach up to $400,000 with overtime.
Drivers also accused the contractor of predatory lending practices, alleging that when they requested cash advances to repair vehicles damaged by the project road, they were met with exorbitant interest demands.
“I asked Mr. Duncan to lend me $100,000 to look after the bus, and he tell me how I got to give he back $130,000,” driver Gregory Amour alleged.
Left to right- Balram Singh, Vishnu, Gregory Amour and Kerwin Griffith
The workforce remains heavily divided on protesting due to fear of reprisal. Drivers stated that Duncan issued an ultimatum via a digital transportation group chat, threatening that any local worker who complained or spoke to the media would be dismissed with immediate effect. Following the arrival of opposition members, text messages seen by this publication were sent promising partial payments by the upcoming Saturday.
MP Vishnu Panday criticised the Ministry of Labour’s absence from the major state-backed infrastructural development, noting that a lack of oversight has left workers without formal contracts or legal protections.
“We have in this country a Ministry of Labour who is not here to protect the right of Guyanese people. Perhaps he’s not even aware where is this location,” Panday said. “This is against all the laws of employment.”
The Gas-to-Energy project, initially projected in 2021 to cost under US$900M with a completion date of 2024, has ballooned to an estimated US$2B.
Despite the massive capital expenditure, local stakeholders maintain that the Guyanese labour force is being actively marginalised and exploited.
Share this:
Discover more from Kaieteur News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Similar Articles
Blunt of the day
Sports
Features/Columnists
Sir. Ronald Sanders
The GHK Lall Column
Weekend Cartoon
