Bartica logging company commended for addressing OSH infractions

Three months after being flagged for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and Labour infractions, the Vaitarna Holdings Private Incorporated in Bartica has been commended for its efforts to address the issues.

On Tuesday, Minister of Labour, Hon. Joseph Hamilton along with Senior Labour Officers, Mr. Prandatt Basdeo and Ms. Denise Duncan made a follow-up visit to the logging company’s Wineperu, Region Seven operation.

The team had visited the company in March this year, and had discovered a host of OSH violations. They included exposed electrical wires in water, little or no COVID-19 protocols in place and unsuitable living conditions for employees. Subsequently, a meeting was held with the managers of the company in Georgetown, where it was agreed that the company would be given three months to address the issues.

“Compliments to what they have done, the transformation in the last three months. They paid attention to the officer’s guidance regarding occupational safety and health. You would know that this place had wires on the floor intermingling with water and slush and everything that was wrong.

What I noted today was that wires were re-routed overhead; fire extinguishers were around and the place is cleaned and it’s a great change based on what we observed three months ago,” Minister Hamilton said.  

The company has also implemented COVID-19 protocols and regulated overtime payment for staff. The general aesthetics of the compound was also improved and employees living quarters are being upgraded.

However, Minister Hamilton said there is much more room for improvement. He said the Labour Officers will continue to work with the company to ensure full compliance with all labour regulations.

Minister Hamilton also reminded the company of the PPP/C Government’s policy of ensuring workers’ rights are protected and foreign companies must observe Guyana’s labour laws.

“This is to ensure that workers work on safe space because I don’t want to continue to be the death announcement bureau. Since I am minister for ten months, we have sent out nearly 38 to 40 press releases of people dying at work and I want that to come to an end.”

Minister Hamilton said a labour and OSH officer will soon be assigned to the town.