The massive theft of moveable assets marred the final hours before hundreds of long-serving employees of the Linden Mining Enterprise (LINMINE) were laid off on Thursday to make way for new management.

Canadian firm, Cambior was identified by government to manage the ailing bauxite company in an attempt to reverse its fortunes.

Efforts yesterday to reach Omai Gold Mines Limited’s Human Resources Manager, Norman McLean, and former Linmine Chief Executive Officer and Head of the Secretariat established to oversee its interest, Horace James, on the theft proved futile. Omai is a subsidiary of Cambior and its personnel are currently in charge of the bauxite operations.

The police public relations department confirmed yesterday that police in the mining town were probing reports about the reported theft of articles from the company.

Cambior formally took control of the mining aspects of Linmine’s operations from August 1; hours after all employees of the firm were severed.

On a day described as “Black Thursday” by the community, the company was stripped of a large amount of its moveable assets, Stabroek News was told during a visit to the community on Tuesday.

Desks, chairs, tables and computers along with other equipment and spares, including parts for the town’s lone fire tender which was being refitted at the company’s mechanic shop, were carted off by some of the departing employees.

In what sources told Stabroek News was a “free for all”, some employees looted various sections of the office complex as well as work stations, some working late into the night to complete the task.

Head of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union, Charles Sampson described the act as “disturbing and unfortunate” while lamenting the cost to the new management team of retooling the looted sections.

According to Sampson, vanloads of items were carted off in the frenetic free for all.

He bemoaned the fact that such a situation was allowed, adding that the manner in which the severance arrangements were handled could have possibly contributed to the situation. Most of the items were said to have been taken through the gates of the company.

Among items looted from the bauxite company’s offices and facilities were air conditioning units, filing cabinets and expensive swivel chairs which were transported off Linmine’s premises in company vehicles.

According to some re-hired employees, the new managers arrived to commence work at the Mackenzie facility only to be confronted with the stripped offices.

The new company is already committed to raising the level of production through retooling of several aspects of the operations and venture capital is being sourced for this.

Currently the company is said to be undertaking an assessment of equipment existing at the bauxite plant to determine its potential and evaluate critical needs.