HGP Nightly News – EKAA Earth Resources Management Inc. has rejected allegations of forced labour, human trafficking, passport confiscation, and poor working conditions, saying the claims made against the company are false and do not reflect its treatment of Indian workers at its Region Seven operations.
At a press conference on Thursday, company officials said the current dispute followed the death of Indian national Shekhar Chetri, who collapsed and died at the company’s operations site on May 12, 2026.
Chief Operating Officer Sivakumar said the company was deeply saddened by Chetri’s death and is cooperating fully with the authorities. He said a post-mortem examination confirmed that Chetri died from a mild heart attack.
According to the company, funeral arrangements, embalming, and repatriation arrangements have already been paid for and finalised through Memorial Gardens and Crematorium. EKAA said it is also processing statutory clearances through the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Guyana Revenue Authority, Customs, the High Commission of India, and a clearance agent in India to ensure Chetri’s remains are returned safely to his home.
Company officials said Chetri’s death caused fear and anxiety among workers, especially because of the remote location of the worksite. In response, EKAA said it has promised to station a dedicated health officer inside the camp.
The company also sought to counter allegations of wage theft, saying all salaries up to March 2026 were fully paid. EKAA said payments for April and the days worked in May are being processed in the normal course of the month. It also displayed tax and NIS records, along with VAT data, to support its claim of statutory compliance.
On claims of poor food and living conditions, EKAA said meals are prepared by chefs brought from India to match workers’ dietary preferences. The company also presented grocery receipts and photographs of camp accommodation, which it said showed ventilated living areas with fans, weather protection, and roofing designed to reduce heat.
EKAA further denied that workers were isolated from their families, saying it pays about $255,000 monthly for Wi-Fi service through three dedicated devices so employees can communicate with relatives in India.
The company strongly rejected claims that it confiscated workers’ passports. Officials said a passport ledger from May 31, 2024, to May 20, 2026, showed workers signing out their documents for personal matters, including opening bank accounts, applying for Taxpayer Identification Numbers, and securing driver’s licences.
EKAA also said workers had freedom of movement, including Sunday visits to Bartica, trips to Georgetown, and participation in community events at Batavia.
The company claimed that about 10 to 15 Indian workers did not join the protest and reported being satisfied with their wages and treatment. However, EKAA expressed concern for 37 workers currently away from the campsite under what it described as third-party supervision.
Management said it is prepared to meet with the workers in the presence of the Ministry of Labour and the Indian High Commission to review individual contracts, determine any legitimate outstanding payments, and facilitate return airfare for workers whose contracts are near completion.
Earlier, the 37 Indian nationals protested outside the Ministry of Labour, insisting they were not missing and only wanted their money and tickets to return to India.
The company is urging that the matter be handled through the formal regulatory process rather than through public allegations.
