US$0.5M lost through Aroaima unrest -Benn
Stabroek News
February 7, 2004
Recent industrial unrest at the Berbice bauxite operations has cost the Aroaima Mining Company US$0.5M, according to Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Robeson Benn.
According to a Government Information Agency release the issues surrounding the strike late last year at the Berbice operations are currently being resolved between the workers and management. Some US$0.5M has been lost to the industry as a result of that industrial action between November and December last, Benn said.
The loss resulted from payments to ships that had to wait for an extended period for bauxite for export, during the industrial action, Benn noted.
The GGMC head said that once the Aroaima reserves were exhausted, the physical demands required less labour due to reduced stripping which along with mining, was transferred to Kwakwani last November. The Berbice operations faces a further cut in jobs from 600 to 400.
And regarding bauxite operations at LINMINE, Benn said a team is now having discussions with Cambior, the parent body of Omai Gold Mines, and government on bringing to full fruition the Omai investment in LINMINE. Omai has already put some US$5M in equipment towards the investment, which is expected to last two years and is currently operating out of LINMINE.