Coomacka loggers protest “unfair treatment” by Chinese company

Several workers attached to a Chinese logging company, Ping Establishment, at Coomacka Mines on Friday protested numerous alleged actions by the company which they deemed not to be in their favour.

The workers who held a peaceful demonstration outside of the company situated in the Upper Berbice River displayed placards bearing slogans such as “More Money”, amongst others as they accused the company of “taking advantage of workers’” rights.
The workers’ main concern is their payments. One protester stated, “when we talk for we rights they want tell we ‘go home’ and don’t come back”.
Meanwhile, Chairman and Councillor attached to the community, Dexter Harding, who was present at the protest line noted that he has contacted Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Chairman Renis Morian with regards to the situation and he is expected to make representation on behalf of the workers on Monday.
Harding urged support for the workers as he also pledged his support to look into their concerns.
“Every Guyanese need to be supported when we are being treated wrong and more so this [is] our resource. Forest is a Guyanese resource and we need to be treated right in our country… I made contact with the Regional Chairman and we’re going to have on Monday, full representation from the Union and from Labour and the many other agencies…We need to have folks supporting and more so representing us here in Coomacka. I will not see that they be ill-treated”, Harding said.