Chinese laborers who came to Grenada to construct the national cricket stadium now seem to be at the centre of an emerging dispute between the Keith Mitchell government and Grenada Trade Union Congress.

The TUC is claiming that Chinese migrant labour is now affecting employment in Grenada; the government denies that it’s allowing Chinese workers to take jobs normally held by Grenadians and the Minister for Economic Development believes this matter ought to be addressed at the level of Caricom.

 

The growing dispute took centre stage at the recent Caribbean Congress of Labour 16th Congress in St.Vincent   where delegates unanimously approved a resolution tabled by the TUC, calling on the Grenada government to be petitioned on the issue.

“It resolves to call on the Grenada Government to put an end to the mass Chinese migrant labour that is now in Grenada. This situation is serious and is adversely affecting ordinary Grenadians”, says Chester Humphrey, President General of the militant Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU), who was part of the five member delegation attending the CCL meeting.

“So the resolution addressed those matters and called for the affiliates to flood Grenada and the Government of Grenada with petitions, demanding that an end be put to this”

Recently, one of the largest construction companies on the island, Creative Design, claimed more than 250 workers were affected after it lost a bid to a Chinese construction company.

The CCL has agreed to write to the Government of Grenada as well as the All Union Federation in the People’s Republic of China to explain the implications of this development.

“The state controlled company that got this contract  brought all its equipment duty free because it came to build the stadium as a gift, they are now using these duty free items to compete against local contracting companies who have to pay duties and to meet all their overhead expensives” said Humphrey .

 

An arrangement between the administrations in Beijing and St.George’s allowed more than 500 Chinese workers to construct a new cricket stadium that hosted super eight matches in Cricket World Cup 2007.

“The playing field must be even, you cannot be giving concessions to these external contractors and your local contractors are saddled with having to pay border duties and taxes in order to get the same work done. It is for this reason the Chinese construction company can underbid any Grenadian firm”.

The only official government response thus far has come from Prime Minister Dr.Keith Mitchell who says government is not allowing Chinese workers to take jobs normally held by Grenadian laborers.

“Its very difficult for the government to proceed to give work permit to a mass of workers from any country for work that can be easily done by Grenadians if they are Grenadians willing to accept those” Prime Minister Mitchell contended.

“That is the clear position of the government and that has not been broken and no one can say or prove otherwise and therefore I want to make it perfectly clear here today that no one can point to any proof that the government has given less importance to Grenadian workers than any other workers” Dr.Mitchell said.

Creative Designs, claims more than 250 workers were affected after it lost a bid to a Chinese construction company.

Managing Director of Creative Designs Dr. Anslem LaTouche says he plans to raise the matter with the executive of the Grenada Construction Association.

“They out bided me, there is no way that I could have built the project for this low sum, it is totally unfair because these companies are receiving assistance from the Chinese Government,” Dr.La Touche said.

However, according to Prime Minister Mitchell:“I want to be very clear that what you are hearing is false and it is mainly for political persuasion and it is certainly not something that we have decided or agreed to”  the Grenadians leader insisted.

Foreign developers are currently in negotiations with Creative designs to execute a Memorandum of Understanding that allows for the local company to be compensated after the Chinese construction company was hired to build the Grand Harbour Condos.

A similar controversy has erupted in Barbados in which developers opted for Chinese labour over locals and sparking off a national debate.

“When we were hit viciously by hurricanes Ivan and Emily many workers from around the Caribbean came here and we use to praise the Chinese workers” Prime Minister Mitchell recalled.

“We use to praise the Trinidadian workers who came and cleaned the drains while some of us did not want to do it. We praised the Chinese workers for the construction of the national stadium. We praised the Venezuelans. But today we find them enemies”.

Meantime, Anthony Boatswain, Economic Development Minister is suggesting CARICOM adopt a common policy to regulate the importation of Chinese labour.

“We cannot stop Chinese construction companies for bidding for projects, especially those that are World Bank funded but I believe that there should be a policy regarding the amount of persons these companies can bring into the region,” Boatswain said when questioned about the impact Chinese companies are having on the region.