The Guyana Standard was able to confirm yesterday that Australian mining company, Troy Resources, gave the relatives of the late Ryan Taylor, $8 million as compensation for his death. This news agency was informed by Mr. Ajay Baksh who is part of Troy’s Public Relations team that the Taylor family received $4 million in cash which was paid from insurance while the remaining sum was used to cover funeral arrangements and other expenses.
Baksh said that the payout to the family is not an admission of any wrongdoing on the part of the company but noted nonetheless that the company has all of its employees insured.
Baksh also said that the company was indeed concerned about what took place, hence it stepped up to offer assistance.
Guyana Standard would have reported that it was on October 8, last, that the geologist lost his life after a pit caved in at the Kairouni operations of the company. When the incident occurred, one of Taylor’s former colleagues took to social media and explained the working conditions at the mining camp.
He had said, “This was a time bomb waiting to explode. The environment was one of the most unsafe places I have ever been to…They always complained of not making target and chased the gold without seriously considering the safety of locals.”
The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Ministry of Social Protection had pledged to conduct a probe into the death of Mr. Taylor but never revealed their findings. The Guyana Standard was eventually able to confirm by way of a letter to President, David Granger that both agencies found Troy Resources entirely responsible for Taylor’s death.
