Former Head of NICIL defends Rusal bauxite operations in Guyana

Former Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) IN Guyana, Winston Brassington has defended the decision to bring back Russian bauxite company Rusal to Guyana. According to him it was in favour of the local industry and Rusal was the only company to show interest in investing in the country. Rusal-owns Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI/ RUSAL) in the country which mines bauxite and exports internationally. 

“If you were in my shoes, a thousand jobs are on the line, a company is making a US$150M investment, who would you choose?” Brassington was quoted as saying last week.

It is to be noted that Oldendorff Carriers, the German-headquartered bauxite transshipment company that was working with Rusal to move bauxite from its Upper Berbice river operations to the ports, decided to shut down its operations in Guyana in April, because of the US sanctions against RUSAL.

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman said RUSAL might have to hire another company to for the transhipment of bauxite in Guyana. He said they were looking at some short-term measures so that the bauxite operations can continue. The minister was in discussion with the two unions that each represented RUSAL and Oldendorff workers.

General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GBGWU), Lincoln Lewis also expressed his concern over the fate of BCGI-RUSAL workers. This was just a domino effect of the US sanctions against RUSAL which barred American companies from transacting business with RUSAL.

“Rusal is a global company, bear in mind they have operations in Jamaica and other places…it is only now that they were sanctioned (by the US)…decisions for the bauxite industry were guided by human interest,” Brassington added.

In an exclusive interview with a local newspaper, Brassington said that he wanted to tell the story of the bauxite industry during his 20-year stay at NICIL, which could be an important revenue source for the country.