ALP Slams Government Over “Exploitative” Conditions at Zijin Aurora Mine, Demands Full Investigation

The Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), led by former Minister of Labour Simona Broomes, is calling for urgent government action after what it describes as shocking and exploitative labour conditions at the Zijin Mining Aurora Goldfield Operation. Broomes, who oversaw labour and occupational safety issues during the APNU+AFC administration, has long been known for her aggressive stance on workers’ rights—making this latest intervention one of the party’s strongest to date.

In a statement issued on November 25, the ALP argued that Guyana cannot boast of being the “fastest-growing economy in the world” while some workers “face conditions that mirror labour trafficking” and are “paid wages as though we were still a third-world country.”

The party highlighted the case of Mr. Kester Valladares, an underground worker who reported earning $550 GYD per hour on probation and $639 GYD per hour after, despite working 12-hour shifts in unsafe underground tunnels. Valladares says he was fired immediately after speaking publicly about the conditions.

According to Valladares, workers at the Aurora mine allegedly:

• Receive no PPE
• Work in extreme dust, smoke, and toxic fumes
• Are forced to inhale cigarette smoke inside sealed vehicles
• Are told: “If you don’t want the smoke, come out and walk.”
• Have no emergency transport
• Wait hours after shifts, soaked and exhausted
• Develop lung infections
• And have not seen the Ministry of Labour in the tunnels in over a year

The ALP notes that most affected workers are young men from Regions 6 and 10, who are “exploited while the nation’s wealth is shipped out.”

This, the party argues, stands in stark contrast to the industry’s massive output. Guyana declared 208,757 ounces of gold in the first half of 2025 and 434,497 ounces in 2024, earning nearly US$989.9 million. Yet those producing that wealth earn “less than $700 GYD per hour.”

“This is not investment. This is exploitation. This is an unsafe work environment,” the statement declared.

Leveraging her background as a former Minister of Labour—where she was known for conducting surprise inspections and directly confronting abusive employers—Simona Broomes and the ALP demanded:

• A full, public investigation into wages, PPE, safety, health risks, housing, insurance, medical care, food, and alleged pay discrimination between Chinese and Guyanese workers

• Full compensation for Kester Valladares, including all owed wages, leave, and benefits

• Permanent monitoring of Zijin’s underground operations through unannounced inspections and strict OSH enforcement

The ALP concluded with a warning that echoes Broomes’ longstanding labour-rights advocacy: “Guyana cannot claim prosperity while treating workers as expendable. Our rights are not optional — and the ALP will not be silent.”