With a large sum in Linmine workers’ contributory pensions in limbo, both Vernon Semple, President-General of the Guyana Mine, Metal and General Workers Union (GMM&GWU) and Charles Sampson, head of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) are adamant that the matter needs to be dealt with as expeditiously as possible.

Since the Bauxite Industry Pension Plan (BIPP) was frozen at July 31 when all the Linmine workers were made redundant and received termination benefits, the retrenched workers have been clamouring to be paid the contributions made on their behalf. The provisions of the plan do not provide for such payments being made. The plan covers not only the Linmine workers but also those at Bermine, and Bidco and the scheme has an estimated 4,000 members including the existing pensioners.

Meanwhile, the government is seeking a legal opinion on whether the provisions of the bauxite industry pension plan could be changed to allow for Linmine workers with more than twelve years service to be repaid their contributions.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds had told Stabroek News that the legal opinion at the moment is that the lump- sum payments cannot be made as the recipients could legally return at their retirement age and ask to be paid a pension.

The funds which are being administered by the Guyana National Cooperative Bank Trust (GNCB Trust Corporation) are at the heart of demands by several workers who are calling on the authorities to speedily resolve the matter.

According to Semple, it is important for the issue to be wrapped up as urgently as possible, taking careful steps to ensure that the monies are divided equitably among pensioners and deferred pensioners.

The new Cambior management of the Linden bauxite operations, Semple said, has indicated no interest in continuing to service the scheme and without Linmine’s contribution to the fund by way of management fees it would be better to terminate the plan and divide the money among the workers who are the beneficiaries.

To this end a meeting was held recently at the Office of the Prime Minister, which the Prime Minister chaired, at which all interested parties were represented and contributed to the discussion on ways to resolve the issue.

Emanating from that meeting was a Memorandum of Understanding signed by representatives of the government, Linmine, GMM&GWU, GB&GWU, the Linmine Pensioners Association, Bauxite Industry Pension Plan Management Committee and GNCB Trust Corporation.

In the MOU it was agreed that the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Guyana would conduct a poll among members of BIPP to determine how many workers wanted the provisions changed to allow the lump-sum payment.

Besides the poll, the Institute would also assist with the education programme about the options and the consequences that flow from exercising them.

The parties acknowledged that the GNCB Trust is the legal authority responsible for the administration and determination of the BIPP, although the survey would set out the options for its future.

Once the survey is conducted the parties will seek to arrive at appropriate time lines with both the GNCB Trust and IDS for implementation of the decisions.

Government, the MOU said, will meet expenses associated with the conducting of the survey.

The parties were expected to brief their members and other stakeholders on the process embarked upon, while taking all necessary steps to ensure that the decisions, which they agreed are binding, are implemented.

However, several of the severed workers are concerned at the situation.

The company, one man said, “knew fully well that it was winding up and should have sorted out all these things in advance so that we could get we money.” And others who demanded that they should receive their benefits in a timely manner supported his view.

“Don’t pay money in your own time,” a visibly outraged ex-employee said.

The matter of the pensions and other outstanding and sensitive issues including the management of lands, the bridge across the Demerara River and ownership of a plaza in Mackenzie are to be addressed by a secretariat consisting of former Linmine executives.