Labour Ministry probes alleged human trafficking by quarry company

…firm given 24h to respond to poor working conditions, unfair treatment allegations

The Labour and Manpower Planning Ministry has launched an investigation into the suspected trafficking of Indian nationals to work at a quarry operation in Batavia, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). The Indian nationals were reportedly employed by Ekaa Hrim Earth Resources for the past three years, where their passports were allegedly withheld by the company’s management. Over the weekend, the issue was highlighted including poor working conditions at quarry. In a statement on Monday, the Ministry said it has noted the allegations with “serious concern” and based on information received, it immediately launched an investigation into potential labour and occupational safety and health (OSH) violations at the worksite. In fact, the statement said subject Minister Keoma Griffith on Monday morning engaged the acting Indian High Commissioner to Guyana Manoj Kumar on the issue and subsequently met with the 38 workers.
This meeting held between the Ministry, aggrieved workers and management of the company provided an opportunity for the workers’ complaints to be made, the statement noted. “The issue of passports was raised and as a result of the intervention made by Minister Griffith, that matter has already been rectified and the passports have been returned to the workers,” the Ministry noted. Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in Guyana is governed by the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act. It states that “any person who for the purpose of trafficking in persons, and acting or purporting to act as another person’s employer, manager, supervisor, contractor, employment agent, or solicitor of clients such as a pimp, knowingly procures, destroys, conceals, removes, confiscates, or possesses any travel document, or other Government identification document, whether actual or purported, belonging to another person commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine or one million dollars together with imprisonment for five years”.

Other allegations
Meanwhile, in addition to these concerns, the Ministry said allegations of poor working conditions and unfair treatment were leveled against the employer. As such, the Ministry said it has given the company a period of twenty-four hours to issue a response. Moreover, the Ministry said its investigation will continue and allegations relating to wages, working conditions and the general welfare of the workers will be addressed. According to a Demerara Waves report, though the workers were paid, they never received overtime or a payslip. The report also alleges that workers desirous of resigning were required to pay the company US$5000. These issues were brought to light following the death of an employee, another Indian national, at the worksite on May 12, 2026. The Ministry said it is aware of this fatality and is also probing the circumstances surrounding the incident. “A joint team of officers from the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, Guyana Police Force (GPF), Trafficking in Persons Unit under the Ministry of Home Affairs and other relevant authorities has been mobilised to conduct inquiries and assess the situation,” the statement outlined.
“The Ministry is actively monitoring the matter and will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure compliance with the laws of Guyana. Further updates will be provided as investigations progress,” it added. Up to news time, efforts to get a comment from the Indian High Commission in Georgetown on the matter proved futile. In January 2023, the Amerindian Affairs Ministry facilitated the US$20 million quarrying project undertaken by Ekaa Hrim Earth Resource Management. According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, under this agreement, 1,089 acres of land were leased to the company; 13 acres will be used for mining while the remaining will be a buffer zone. It was also reported that 40 per cent of the labour workforce at the site would have been sourced from Batavia.