Dear Editor,
For the Chinese it is standard operating procedure to bring in their own workers when doing major contracts overseas. They always stake out the negotiations so that they be given the privilege to bring in their workers. The Chinese do this all over the world, the United States included, so I do not see Guyana being any different. What Chinese cook-shops have taught us is that they do not share their expertise with the host country. Our long history with Chinese restaurants is that they do the cooking themselves and keep their culinary secrets close to their chest. They employ locals, but not in key areas of the culinary art. In like manner they are not too keen on sharing Chinese building technology secrets.
So when Mr Brassington suggested the reason for the Chinese bringing in their own workers, was the language barrier, he was only partly correct. The real reason is that the Chinese do not share their building secrets, period. Of all the reasons language is the least of the factors because with so many local Guyanese translators plus a whole host of Chinese living in Guyana, the language barrier should not be a problem.
And the Chinese position is excusable because the Chinese are the major financiers of this project and it is only right and proper to allow them to use Chinese labour only. It has nothing to do with selling out our sovereignty or any of that nonsense. What the critics should be telling the people is that they are making out a case for Mr Badal at the Pegasus. Mr Badal has to realize that Guyana is not the private domain of anyone; it is a country open for investment. So if he is peeved as to the consequences of another hotel investor too close to him, then I’d say welcome to the world of competition. Guyana is in dire need of investment and anyone coming to these shores will put forward conditions to establish a business. Tourism and the hotel industry are crying out for this, and the Chinese are providing a modern hotel − so be it.
However, we have the Republic of China or Taiwan creating miracles in the Eastern Caribbean with their mammoth financing of projects, and they rely 100% on local labour. It is high time for us to turn towards the Taiwanese who give more in these partnership arrangements. The benefits these Caribbean neighbours are getting is staggering compared to the Chinese who take more than they give. Our government needs to give serious thought to this.
Yours faithfully,
Neil Adams