Troy Resources denies being culpable for geologist’s death

— PRO says aggrieved family received $8M, including insurance, since last year

Troy Resources has refuted claims made by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Dr Vincent Adams, that investigations by a Ministry and a Government agency into the death of geologist Ryan Taylor on the job, had found the gold mining company culpable.

In fact, a rep for the company said that it has not even been privy to the Social Protection Ministry and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) reports which stated that Adams wrote the company’s Chief Executive Officer Ken Nilsson and copied to President David Granger.
In an interview with this publication, Ajay Baksh, who is part of Troy’s Public Relations team, explained that the claims made by Adams are untrue. According to

Baksh, “there is no report. The report Adams refers to, no one knows which report it is. The Ministry has not done or released any report.”
According to him, far from condemning Troy Resources, in November of last year, the former Social Protection Minister, Amna Ally sent them a letter expressing confidence in the company.
A copy of the letter, which was addressed to Nilsson, was shared with this publication. In it, the Minister wrote that she is happy Troy Resources completed remedial work on the Hicks Extended pit, as

requested by GGMC.
Ally also wrote that she wishes “to place on record that we are confident that like us, you too are concerned with safety measures and I wish to commend you for this. I must add that our Government has confidence in your company and we look forward for continued cooperation and a cordial relationship.”
Baksh also cited the fact that Troy Resources was awarded a certificate by the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in April of 2018. They were also awarded another certificate by the advisory council on May 15, 2019.
The company’s own response on the matter was more reticent. In a statement on Sunday, Troy explained that they were forced to write to the President previously because of “constant attacks and harassment” on the company. According to them, the correspondence involved the President, the regulator and them.
“Accordingly, the company does not believe that notwithstanding that the press may have obtained copies of sensitive correspondence, that it would be necessary or appropriate to comment publicly on these. In the circumstances, the company prefers not to make any comment on the matter,” the statement from Troy Resources said.
On the issue of claims by the geologist’s mother, June Ann Taylor, that Troy Resources did not compensate them for his death, Baksh denied this. In fact, Baksh was adamant that the Taylor family received a total of $8 million last year, including money from insurance.
“All Troy employees are insured,” he said. “So, this is not like we paid because we admitted guilt or something is wrong. It is a standard procedure. As of today, the records we have show that she’s received $8 million in total. $4 million from the insurance company and $4 million for funeral expenses.”
In his letter, Adams had been critical of Nilsson for writing to President Granger on April 27, 2020, to complain about him. According to Adams, Nilsson’s letter to the President contained several untruths.
In particular, Adams had refuted Nilsson’s claim that the Ministry of Social Protection and the GGMC had found no fault against Troy Resources when they investigated Taylor’s death. Adams had claimed that both the Ministry and the GGMC had found Troy to be responsible.
Taylor was killed in a mining pit operated by Troy’s Karouni, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) operation on October 8, 2019. It was reported that a slippage occurred, thus leading to Taylor being crushed by fallen rubble.
Immediately after the accident, mining operations at Troy Resources were closed. Both the Social Protection Ministry and GGMC carried out their investigations, with the revenue shortfall causing Troy to fire almost 400 workers. The investigations were completed, but the reports were never made public.
This publication had reported back in March of 2020 that since the accident, the family of Taylor were yet to receive compensation. In an exclusive interview with <<<Guyana Times>>>, Taylor’s mother, June Taylor, had related that she has been receiving the “royal run around” from the Social Protection Ministry to ensure that Troy Resources is held accountable for her son’s death and more so, get them to offer a financial settlement since the now dead man was the sole breadwinner for the family.