A Cuban citizen lost his life this Tuesday after being electrocuted at a construction site in the New Houston area of East Bank Demerara, Guyana, when the scaffold he was working on shifted and came into contact with a high-voltage power line.
According to the Guyanese media INews Guyana, the accident occurred in the early hours of the morning at a new building near Caneview Avenue.
The victim was declared dead at the scene, while two other individuals who were also on the structure sustained injuries and were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital for medical attention.
The identity of the deceased Cuban has not been disclosed.
Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), the state electric company, confirmed in an official statement that the scaffolding "rolled off the building and came into contact with one of our 13.8 kV primary distribution lines."
The company extended its condolences to the family of the deceased and expressed sympathy toward the injured, wishing for their "swift and full recovery."
In the same statement, GPL urged contractors, workers, and the public to exercise extreme caution when operating near its electrical infrastructure, and emphasized that "appropriate safety measures must always be maintained to prevent similar tragedies."
The death of the Cuban worker occurred five days after the death of another compatriot in the same area: Alex Jesús González Beria, 23 years old, was crushed by two containers at the Muneshwers maritime terminal, also in Houston, East Bank Demerara, on August 27.
Throughout 2026, there have been a series of deaths, accidents, and other serious incidents that have affected the Cuban community in Guyana. In July, Yuviosmar Galindo Cardona, 25 years old, died at a construction site in Providence after being struck by a high-pressure hose.
Just a month earlier, two Cubans lost their lives in another workplace accident and a third compatriot was found dead alongside a road in Coldigen. In May, Dainier Vegas Infante, 23 years old, was shot and killed at his workplace in Georgetown.
Guyana has become a work destination for Cuban migrants, drawn by the economic boom fueled by oil exploitation and the high demand for labor in the construction sector.
However, the safety conditions at the construction sites remain precarious in a context of rapid expansion with inadequate supervision.
The Ministry of Labor of Guyana reported 13 deaths and 64 non-fatal incidents in workplaces between January and April 2026, figures that reflect the serious issue of occupational safety that the country is facing.
Guyanese President Irfaan Ali called in mid-August for Cubans interested in working in the country to enter through legal channels and under the same conditions as local employees, a plea that has not stopped the flow of migrants or the accidents that disproportionately affect them.
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