Indian nationals get back passports, await outstanding salaries

Last Updated on Monday, 18 May 2026, 16:39 by Denis Chabrol

The 38 Indian nationals, who were hired by an India-headquartered company to work at a quarry in Guyana under arduous conditions, on Monday got back their passports at the Ministry of Labour since they arrived here about three years ago.

Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed, whose We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party travelled to the quarry at Batavia in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), told Demerara Waves Online News that the workers were up to Monday afternoon awaiting calculations by the Labour Ministry officials and representatives of the company, EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management, of monies owed to them so that they could be paid all outstanding sums.

“Today is a major victory for the 38 Indian nationals,” he told Demerara Waves Online News outside the Labour Ministry.

Mr Mohamed said the workers were not paid overtime and they were unsure whether their social security deductions were paid to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). He said they never received payslips.

One of the Indian nationals, speaking on condition of anonymity, showed Demerara Waves Online News a picture of an Indian co-worker who lost four fingers while fixing a vehicle. He has since returned to his homeland, but Mr Mohamed hoped that he would be eventually compensated. The WIN Leader said the affected Indian workers reported that workplace incident to the Chief Labour Officer

The worker said he occasionally got to send US$1,200 to his family, and that he was eagerly looking forward to returning to India. He said workers were made to work even on holidays, and the food was of poor quality.

The Opposition Leader said actions by EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management were tantamount to trafficking in persons. He alleged that the workers paid their own air fares and on arrival in Guyana, a company representative “confiscated” their passports, despite their requests to have them back.

Mr Mohamed further alleged that the contracts stipulate that if the workers want to leave the job or they are terminated, they have to pay the company US$5,000. “This is on the contract. This is modern day slavery we’re under, under the PPP (People’s Progressive Party) administration.

WIN, he said, was interested in having HRIM Earth Resources Management punished for the alleged breaches, and that systems be put in place to avoid a recurrence by the next batch of workers. “This is what we need to know and this is what the government neefs to enforce,” he said.

Labour Minister, Keoma Griffith last week said an investigation had been launched.

WIN executive member and parliamentarian, Vishnu Panday said after the labour issues were resolved, the workers would be escorted to another ministry to assist with the processing of their departure from Guyana.

He called on government to go and check the interior for other foreign workers who are being exploited.