Guyanese continue to suffer at the hands of Bai Shan Lin

-   Workmen lament disrespect 
From all indications, workers attached to the Chinese logging company Bai Shan Lin continue to be treated

Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon

disrespectfully.
They have complained about the treatment dealt to Guyanese has gone from bad to worse.
One worker, who highlighted his concerns who sought anonymity, said that “the Chinese are in the habit of insulting Guyanese, especially when they have to receive the salaries that we work very hard for.”
The employee said that upon being hired, the Human Resources Manager, identified as Mr. Ali, told him and a few others  who were simultaneously hired that they have to live at Linden and that the company will provide meals and accommodation.
He said that much to his dismay, “every week we have to beg for money to buy food stuff. We had to sleep in the trucks…The place where we sleep is worse than a pig pen with no mattresses.”
The disgruntled employee said that the treatment reminds him of the “days of slavery, when workers had no rights and no voice. ‘What the Chinese tell you to do you have to do or else they tell you go home and they hold up your salary.”
He said that sometimes the trucks have mechanical problems but “the Chinese would say ‘go work, fix later.’ This is big risk for the drivers.”
“Chinese have meetings every month where their matters and concerns are addressed, but the Guyanese do not have any meetings to discuss their problems.”
Regional Chairman, Sharma Solomon, said that he receives similar complaints almost daily.
He said that Region Ten residents and workers who are stationed there are just fed up of the callous behaviour exhibited by Bai Shan Lin as a company which is getting so much out of Guyana but is prepared to give little or nothing in return.
“Workers are complaining, Moblissa residents are complaining, the Kwakwani residents still complain about the problems with the road, in fact the entire Region is complaining,” said Solomon.
“We are all still very concerned,” said the Regional Chairman. Bai Shan Lin is still to do an Environmental, Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), he added.
He said that some workers attached to Bai Shan Lin, frequented the Office of the Regional Democratic Council complaining of the way the company has been violating their rights.
The Chairman said that workers lamented the conditions they work under, bad treatment and poor payment.
Two days after that story was carried, Bai Shan Lin released a statement refuting allegations of $500 pay but ignored claims of mistreatment, poor working conditions
The company sought to debunk allegations that it has an employment ratio of 70 percent Asians to 30 percent Guyanese and that it has been paying the few locals it employs as little as $500 per day.
Solomon subsequently told this newspaper that he saw the statement and noticed that the company did not reject what he said.
Bai Shan Lin has a known presence at Moblissa, Coomacka, Bamia, Kwakwani and Ituni