FOR the record, the Chinese construction of the Marriott by an all-Chinese work force   has been a very contentious issue, led by the political opposition parties, and with support from the trade union movement, and other known critics of the government.

The commonality of their allegations is that the Guyanese people have been discriminated against, because of their exclusion from the building phase. But it has begun to emerge, that apart from  over 200 Guyanese who will be offered  200 permanent jobs when the hotel goes into operation, that there is  current  local  inputs in the form of Guyanese contractors supplying foundation requirements such  as concrete blocks, and cement mix. These are exercises that do require large numbers of Guyanese workers. It is very good that this information is now public knowledge, for an  holistic understanding of what is taking place. But there is another side  to this entire brouhaha about the perceived shutting out of local manpower.
Guyana traditionally has always been enamoured of United States  involvement in many aspects of Guyanese political, social and economic development. Focusing particularly on American contributions to the nation’s socio-cultural life and economic development, we all can recall the presence of American Peace Corp workers and other volunteers. There are even American inputs in many of our health programmes, offering technical expertise, which is not current in Guyana. And the list can be extended.  Undoubtedly such assistance will always be welcomed as it will  greatly enhance critical areas in the nation’s social services. Mention must also be made of  the recent multi-million United States aid package  that will contribute immensely to Guyana’s fight against the narcotics scourge. There will even be foreign assistance, in the form of personnel, for the recently announced re-structuring process of the Guyana Police Force.
Please, this column is in no way seeking to whip up anti-American bias in any  form.  It seeks only for a balanced view and understanding as to the manner in which this nation perceives certain issues. Frankly, there has never been resentment against American presence in Guyana, especially as it relates to their involvement in local socio-cultural-economic projects. And one does not have to understand why: Guyana’s decades- old  friendly relationship  with this great nation and benefactor; admiration for  its status as an  economic and military  superpower; its love and adoption of American cultural mores,  coupled with the important fact of hundreds of thousands of Guyanese domiciled there, becoming citizens in the process.
On the other hand, Guyana and China have  established diplomatic relations for only a little over 40 years, despite the fact that there has been a Chinese presence in Guyana, beginning with the arrival of Chinese indentured labour  in 1853. But there is no denying the fact that from that time, the Chinese have been accepted as a permanent part of this nation’s social mosaic, not only as one of Guyana’s six races, but  also contributing much of their rich cultural heritage to this nation. Which Guyanese can dispute this incontrovertible fact? Not even those who are loudest in their opposition to the Chinese presence in the Marriott construction dare deny this, also.
For the  the past four decades of ties between the two states, China has been making exponential,  financial contributions to many of this nation’s socio-economic projects, costing billions of dollars. This is apart from the strengthening of cultural relations.
Thus, those who have been whipping up the near  hysteria, are doing so against a people who are a definite part of our ethnic tapestry, enriching our Guyanese culture, and, whose ancestral homeland is a generous giver to our development needs.