With two investigations said to have found gold mining company Troy Resources Guyana Inc (TRGI) liable in the death of geologist Ryan Taylor at its Karouni mine site, his mother, June Taylor, is mulling legal action against the company.
The findings of the probes, conducted by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Ministry of Social Protection, were cited in a recent letter by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head Vincent Adams to TRGI Chief Executive Ken Nilsson rebutting complaints levelled against him by TRGI. Nilsson had written to President David Granger complaining about Adams.
The investigations by the government agencies into Taylor’s death have not been disclosed to the public nor has the family seen the reports.
“…I have been trying for months to find out what the reports say but nobody wanted to give me. I visit Ministry of Labour and Mr [Keith] Scott (de-facto Junior Minister of Social Protection) told me I have a good case, that I should go to the court but I never see the report,” the mother, who is still visibly grieving over the loss of her son, said.
The mother said she has met with Adams and is in the process of trying to get the reports. In the same breath, she disclosed that she is currently reaching out to lawyers to take legal action against the company.
According to Taylor, the company has not offered any compensation to the family but she did acknowledge that they have received some money as a result of her son’s life insurance policy.
The mother lamented she had reached out several times to TRGI but the meetings ended on a negative note.
“They put me out and said they can’t compensate me. I spoke with Mr Nilsson but still I got no help. My son was the breadwinner for me and his three children. Every day and night I would cry because he is no longer here and it is hard to have to fight for this knowing that the company is wrong,” the mother lamented.
She explained to Stabroek News that the company assisted with a fraction of the funeral expenses but when she submitted the receipts to the National Insurance Scheme for funeral benefits, she was informed that the company had made a claim. The mother noted that the family was not paid anything from the claim.
The woman further stated the company has never provided her with a detailed explanation of what transpired on the day of her son’s death. However, she was told that workers who were present could not have done anything to save her son.
Operations at the company came to a halt after it was issued with a cease order on October 10th by Scott following the death of Taylor.
Taylor died on October 8th while working on the construction of a “bench” in a mining pit. A slippage occurred, which led to him falling and being covered by the rubble. On October 15th, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally rescinded the cease order but Troy suspended operations after what it said was the knee-jerk reaction by Scott.
Troy’s report of the incident stated that at 2.25 am on the night shift, a newly-excavated three-meter-high embankment at essentially ground level upon which the Taylor was sitting, collapsed, bringing a “relatively minor amount of sand and rubble down on top of him.”
Nilsson had written to caretaker president David Granger for “an investigation into the excessive and unfair criticisms levelled against our company” by Adams. “These actions caused us and continue to cause us reputational and financial damage,” Troy said in a statement, following the circulation of the correspondence to Granger.
Nilsson had complained about criticisms levelled against his company by Adams pertaining to a fuel spill and fines and dubbed them excessive and unfair.
Stabroek News reported in late March that Troy Resources was fined $1 million by the EPA for the spillage of some 5,000 litres of fuel at its Karouni worksite and it had been ordered to halt works to emphasise safety measures.
In his response to Nilsson, Adams made reference to the two reports into the geologist’s death, saying that it was not the first time since a fuel spill this year, which the company has had accidents on site and it was trying to distract from the fact that it was found accountable.
“The cheap personal attacks plus your imperious action for the President to take action as warranted, are nothing more than disgraceful attempts to distract from TRGI’s poor environmental health and safety record,” Adams said.
“Sir, unfortunately, both agencies tell a starkly different story. The aforementioned MoSP report unambiguously concluded that TRGI is entirely responsible for his (Taylor’s) death, identified several causes – all attributable to TRGI — and recommended charges against TRGI as follows: obstructing an officer in the execution of his official duties…refused to permit the officer to visit the site…refused to submit documents formally requested, and (2) failing to report 12 cases of occupational diseases,” Adams wrote.
“The GGMC report also definitively ascribed fault to Troy Resources for its ‘act of negligence… and irresponsible behaviour’ causing the death of Mr. Taylor,” Adams had said in his response.
