Almost six months have passed and the relatives of Ryan Taylor are still to receive any form of compensation from the Australian-owned mining company, Troy Resources.
Taylor was killed while working on the construction of a “bench” 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.
In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International, Taylor’s mother, June Taylor relayed 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.
“All what I do, I in get no help. I am not hearing nothing, nothing, nothing everything just left and that was it. Nobody in coping because he was the breadwinner of the family. He was the breadwinner for the children, he was the breadwinner for me. I am struggling to get things done. People don’t know, so it is a struggle for me to get finances to get things done. I does work but my salary cannot meet up to it,” the grieving mother stated.
According to her, she met with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company on November 8, 2019, who assured her that he would intervene, but since then, no contact was made with her or any member of the family.
With the entire process being frustrating, the woman explained that she visited the Social Protection Occupational Safety and Health Department but she was told to take a lawyer to fight the case privately.
“I going to take one but who is going to wait until I get something… I asked the Government to help me but nobody not reaching out to me. They in give me nothing for me child or they in talking to me and now I have to go to a lawyer and pay big money to get [help].”
She then met with Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, who promised to organise a lawyer to handle the case but she never heard back from him.
“A month or six weeks after, he tell me that they cannot do anything for me and that I should go to legal aid.”
This newspaper attempted to contact the Labour Department but it proved futile. On the other hand, the Natural Resources Ministry stated that it will meet with the Social Protection Occupational Safety and Health Department. It is unclear if this materialised since an update was not received by the family.
At least eighteen persons have lost their lives as a result of workplace accidents across the country for 2018 and 2019. Based on reports, out of the 18 work-related deaths, nine were from the mining sector, which recorded the highest number. Six of the deaths in the mining sector occurred for 2019 as opposed to five in 2018.
However, the results of all these investigations remain unknown as the Department of Labour has not been forthcoming.
