Ekaa Hrim Denies Exploitation Allegations; Government Probe Active as Workers’ Death, Injuries, and Passport Seizures Are Investigated
By| Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The management of Ekaa Hrim Earth Resources Management has denied allegations of labour exploitation, human rights abuse, and conditions amounting to forced labour made by 38 Indian nationals employed at its quarrying operations in Batavia, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), even as a multi-agency government investigation into those allegations remains active and expanding.
The company’s denial follows a 24-hour ultimatum issued by the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, requiring Ekaa Hrim to formally account for its operational practices. Minister of Labour Keoma Griffith confirmed that the company complied with the paperwork deadline and denied criminal culpability, but said the investigation will continue regardless.
The probe now involves the Guyana Police Force and the specialised Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit, in addition to the Ministry of Labour. The Ministry has confirmed it is also examining the circumstances surrounding the May 12 death of Indian national Sekhar Chhetri at the Batavia site, and a separate on-site incident in which a worker lost four fingers.
What the Workers Allege
The workers’ allegations, which prompted the ministerial intervention and are now under formal investigation, include:
That they were required to work excessively long shifts without overtime pay or adequate safety equipment. That their living accommodation was unhygienic and that food facilities were inadequate, with the dietary needs of vegetarian workers not accommodated. That arbitrary deductions were made from their monthly wages without itemisation, at pay levels close to the national minimum wage. That their passports were confiscated by management upon arrival in Guyana, effectively confining them to the remote interior site.
These are the workers’ allegations and the subject of the ongoing investigation. They have not been established as fact by a court or formal determination.
How the Probe Began
The allegations came to national prominence following a visit to the Batavia site by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and Shadow Labour Minister Nandranie Singh, MP, who publicly raised concerns about the workers’ conditions and prompted an immediate Government response.
The company’s consultant and former Chief Labour Officer, Yoganand Persaud, has filed a formal complaint at the Bartica Police Station alleging that the Opposition Leader unlawfully removed the workers from the Batavia quarry site. Mohamed has not yet responded publicly to that allegation.
Passports Returned After Ministerial Intervention
Minister Griffith confirmed that the workers’ passports were confiscated upon arrival and that he intervened directly to secure their return.
“I met with the representatives of the company and I demanded in no uncertain terms that their passports be returned to them by 1:00 PM on that day,” the Minister said. “Within a very short turnaround time, the passports were returned to the workers.”
The confiscation of passports from migrant workers is widely regarded under international law as an indicator of forced labour or trafficking, and is one of the reasons the TIP Unit has joined the investigation. Minister Griffith said the Government will not, however, prematurely characterise the case as human trafficking pending a definitive forensic audit.
The Contract Clause Under Scrutiny
State legal officers are examining the employment agreements signed by the workers before they departed India. A specific clause under scrutiny requires workers who resign, or who are terminated for “poor performance,” to pay the company a fee of between US$3,000 and US$5,000, described as a “management fee,” while also bearing their own return travel costs.
Persaud defended the clause, arguing it represents a legally valid, mutually agreed contract.
Whether the clause is enforceable under Guyanese labour law, and whether it was fully understood by workers who signed it in India before arriving in Guyana, are among the questions the investigation is examining.
Company’s Position
Persaud also said that workers who were scheduled for individual hearings at the Ministry on Thursday chose not to enter the Ministry building and remained outside instead. He did not elaborate on the reasons for this.
The company’s broader written denial of the exploitation allegations, submitted in response to the Ministry’s 24-hour ultimatum, has not been made public in full.
Indian High Commission Involved
The Indian High Commission is actively coordinating with Guyanese state authorities in connection with its nationals’ welfare.
Investigation Ongoing
The joint task force is continuing its work to determine whether local labour laws or international human rights conventions have been breached. There have been public calls for the temporary suspension of operations at the Batavia quarry — which represents a US$10 million investment — while the investigation proceeds.
Minister Griffith has indicated the Government’s approach will be thorough and evidence-based.
