WHILE Guyanese are said to be supplying several ancillary services for the proposed Georgetown Marriott Hotel, such as the supply of cement and security services, among others, the resort to a Chinese Labour force is being highlighted out of context.

At least this is according to sources close to the massive construction project in Guyana and reminds that on the construction of the International Conference Centre at Liliendaal several years ago; there was a plethora of complaints regarding the ‘productivity of the Guyanese workers.’
That had led to significantly high turn-over of staff and ensuing delays for the project.
A senior government official familiar with the Georgetown Marriott project and speaking on the condition of anonymity, say that delays in the completion of the project could mean greater repayments on interests on the loans.
According to the well placed official, the Guyana Government has been pressing the need for Shanghai Construction Group to complete the project within its deadline.
It was explained that with the heavy liquidated damages penalty in place should Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) fail to meet the imposed deadlines, the company opted instead to resort to the use of a Chinese Labour force.
Apart from the fact that each of the Chinese employees is required to pay applicable taxes such as PAYE (Pay As You Earn), the Construction company had to foot the bill to fly in the Chinese workers.
“They paid to bring in their own workers….It’s not that the Guyana Government paid to bring in the workers.”
The resort to pay to fly in the workers by the company had to be weighed against the use of a local labour force, said the official, coupled with the track record of large projects funded through foreign loans and using local resources.
The various facets and risks involved would have helped to inform the company’s decision, the Chronicle was told.
The official pointed to the construction of the flagship Skeldon Sugar Factory and said that the use of local skills had proved to be very challenging.
Speaking to the deficiencies currently in the labour market, the official pointed to the high local staff turnover and delinquency within entities such as the Guyana Sugar Corporation, the Guyana Power and Light and the forestry sector among others.
“These companies are currently looking for several skilled persons and they are finding it difficult to find it.”
It was explained too that the second closest bid behind the Shanghai Construction Group for the construction of the Marriott Hotel was some US$10M above the current price and while the official government policy is said to be to promote the use of local employment, the companies are given the option.