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| File: NAPA - built by Chinese labour |
And this is especially so because type of construction being undertaken is relatively simple, with technologies known to us. I yield where specific “process plants” like Atlantic LNG, various Point Lisas facilities, or maybe tunneling under the Northern Range, are planned. In short, projects within our competencies - and we are high in this regard - should be designed and built by us.
I was opposed to the idea of replacing our skills - from architecture, through engineering designs, and all of the standard phases of construction - with foreigners. And this from the Eric Williams days of “Government to Government” contracts.
I was opposed to the idea of replacing our skills - from architecture, through engineering designs, and all of the standard phases of construction - with foreigners. And this from the Eric Williams days of “Government to Government” contracts.
For the younger among you, or those who conveniently forget, “Government-to-Government” was an idea of Dr. Williams in 1980 to bypass local architects, engineers and contractors, and ask foreign governments to “appoint consultants and contractors” to come here and undertake works which we could have done.
In the hope of speeding up projects, which were suffering from shortages of cement, sand and gravel at the time, these imported contractors were not asked to “walk with their cement and gravel”, but were given priority access to ours, so French masons could work at Mount Hope Hospital and British supervisors oversaw the building of the Finance Towers and Hall of Justice and other works.
In the hope of speeding up projects, which were suffering from shortages of cement, sand and gravel at the time, these imported contractors were not asked to “walk with their cement and gravel”, but were given priority access to ours, so French masons could work at Mount Hope Hospital and British supervisors oversaw the building of the Finance Towers and Hall of Justice and other works.
The delays and cost overruns experienced on those projects were legendary, exceeding the delays on schools and other locally built projects. By the time the “Government to Government” ended, the oil boom had passed, and while the foreign contractors were paid, many did not pay their local subcontractors and suppliers! Years later, local contractors were paid in Bonds for what the government owed them.
Nothing was built in those years, save for some major petrochemical plants at Point Lisas, that could not have been built by the local industry. And the same remains true today.
Nothing was built in those years, save for some major petrochemical plants at Point Lisas, that could not have been built by the local industry. And the same remains true today.
The sad fact is that almost every single government project undertaken suffers serious cost and time overruns. But in the private sector, from bank offices, to housing and through petrochemical process plants, most projects are finished closer to, and sometimes within budget and time forecasts.
And in the face of this irrefutable fact, we must accept that it is not the contractor or consultant , or even “the industry” which is performing poorly in the government sector, but it is the client—the State itself. Do the study and compare the records if you doubt that!
Poorly planned, and poorly managed projects in the State sector see contractors waiting on decisions, waiting on their approved payments, or making late changes due to client, the state or its agencies, changing its mind.
Poorly planned, and poorly managed projects in the State sector see contractors waiting on decisions, waiting on their approved payments, or making late changes due to client, the state or its agencies, changing its mind.
Another point to note is that many of the State-awarded projects see foreign contractors arriving with all of their own labour, with all of their own equipment and their own subcontractors, who in turn bring their own electricians, plumbers, welders, painters and equipment operators.
We already know that in some cases, workers are kept confined in conditions resembling forced labour camps, and this is a euphemism for slavery. Not one local person was employed at NAPA, SAPA, the Diplomatic Centre, Pena’s church, and several other large projects.
And while this was ongoing, and the project costs and times were soaring, other projects, which were being built by locals, or where the expatriate contractor was honest enough and smart enough to use local support, the projects were performing better.
And while this was ongoing, and the project costs and times were soaring, other projects, which were being built by locals, or where the expatriate contractor was honest enough and smart enough to use local support, the projects were performing better.
Vinci Construction, who brought in the technology to “push” the overpasses out over the highway on to the supports they had constructed, used locals for every phase other than the “jacking” of those huge beams across the highways. Site clearance, piling, concrete supply and labour were all local inputs.
Atlantic LNG and much of Point Lisas were built by major international “Top Ten” construction giants. They all recognized the value and the skills of local workers and local subcontractors, and they all speak well of our capabilities. Go and ask Bechtel, who worked in Point Lisas and who built the ALNG plant at Point Fortin, and hear what they say.
So with all this history in place, on what basis does The UWI award a contract to a Chinese firm, for Chinese designs, Chinese labour and Chinese materials to build the South Campus?
Indeed, is it UWI who has awarded this contract, or is it our government, who gave it to them?
Our capabilities, our culture, our development, all demand that this project be undertaken by West Indian consultants and contractors. What is the rationale of awarding this to the Chinese? To teach them how to design and build our University? If UWI accepts this, then let the Chinese come and lecture in the facility as well!
Atlantic LNG and much of Point Lisas were built by major international “Top Ten” construction giants. They all recognized the value and the skills of local workers and local subcontractors, and they all speak well of our capabilities. Go and ask Bechtel, who worked in Point Lisas and who built the ALNG plant at Point Fortin, and hear what they say.
So with all this history in place, on what basis does The UWI award a contract to a Chinese firm, for Chinese designs, Chinese labour and Chinese materials to build the South Campus?
Indeed, is it UWI who has awarded this contract, or is it our government, who gave it to them?
Our capabilities, our culture, our development, all demand that this project be undertaken by West Indian consultants and contractors. What is the rationale of awarding this to the Chinese? To teach them how to design and build our University? If UWI accepts this, then let the Chinese come and lecture in the facility as well!
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