Henry opposes Chinese doing airport project
During their hour-long show ‘Things to Talk’ on ZBVI 780 AM on September 7, 2016 the two said their comments were based on news that a Chinese firm may be selected for the contract to undertake the runway extension project at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport.
Quite apart from it being public knowledge that the Chinese are offering attractive interest rates and repayment plans, wherever they undertake major projects, from their labourers to cooks, to cleaners, maybe even doctors, are brought in along with all their necessities. Then they set up a work camp instead of renting houses, so, in essence, the funds will not be circulating in the local economy, Henry remarked, unlike if the locals were engaged.
“I’m not saying that we shouldn’t do business with China. I am saying that we should do smart business with China…where we control our destiny,” Henry pointed out. “Don’t bring them in your house, you will think they want to leave, but look around you, look around the Caribbean, they bawling, Latin America, Africa, and America, they bawling…you can’t get rid of them.”
He said Virgin Islanders should not wait until it affects them because it will and the populace should challenge the government’s approach even though they are supporters of the ruling party.
“… Nothing is wrong they can only do it better in the best interest of everybody,” he said.
No importing of labour if locals can do the work
Meantime, Wheatley said he is in total agreement with Henry, arguing that no one should be imported to conduct work that can be done locally.
“I agree with you because one of the principles I have is if we have locals who can do something, we don’t need to invite other people to do what we can do for ourselves. What we want our partnership with China is to do what we cannot do for ourselves,” he noted.
Wheatley mentioned that the VI should focus instead on working out a plan with the Chinese to get cheaper manufactured goods and cut off the route that goes to the USA before reaching a destination.
“If we can get it direct, at a cheaper cost, that is a benefit for us. That we cannot do for ourselves right now so we would want to partner with China on that but don’t partner with China with what you can do for yourself,” Mr Wheatley said.
Chinese firm makes lower bid
It was this news site that first and accurately broke the news that two companies made the final list on the runway extension project. They were China Communications Construction Company Ltd, who the Administration favours and IDL Group, who merged with Sir Robert McAlpine Holdings and local partner ADC of the Virgin Islands.
According to information received from our sources, China Communications Construction Company Ltd’s bid was approximately $154 Million and IDL Group, the Sir Robert McAlpine Holdings and local partner ADC bid, was reportedly $199 Million.
However, the Chinese company’s deal came with many giveaways, concessions, lots of fee waivers and overseas labour and equipment and claims of the money leaving the territory, giving them the ability to bid so low.
Since then it was unearthed by the local press that the China Communications Construction Company is on a World Bank black list for alleged corruption of one of its subsidiaries.
Furthermore, the local press has reported that the NDP had hidden information about the airport project before the 2015 snap election.
The choice of a contractor for the Airport Runway Extension Project has divided the Dr D. Orlando Smith Caucus, with many long-time NDP supporters, contractors and Heavy Equipment Operators from the Seventh and Eighth Districts making representation to keep the money local.
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18 Responses to “Henry opposes Chinese doing airport project”
They said Carimex bid was lower but look at the shoddy work and who had to save the day? A local who could've done the job in the first place. Give our local guys a chance to team up and get the job done with proper management and supervision/oversight in place to ensure it's done properly
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I don't know about Latin America and America. And I don't care to know. But as a black historian Sowande should know that China is the first genuine partner that the Caribbean and Africa ever had. And he should also know that locals CANNOT do this work to the required quality and within a reasonable budget.
Does Sowande know that right now, China is building islands in the South China Sea in an effort to stop the US military from trying to dominate that area? And I am certain he knows that it is the whites that crippled Africa through colonialism, and now the world bank and IMF.
China a partner? Give me a break. How many free people live in China or Hong Kong? How many can write blogs like these without being locked up? Stop the stupidity and use western contractors that can be trusted. Don't sell your pathetic souls to the Asian dragon, only to be left high and dry.
Just take a look at the newly built roads going through the East of the island and it speaks for its self. Contractual standards is a joke with the local contractors; why do you want to do that which you cannot do base on standards. Hate if you want but my God it reminds me od the Berlin Wall in Sea-Cows-Bay.
2 of the tanks collapsed during construction killing a number of persons and the other job was to build a bridge in the UK. On that one none of the concrete could meet the compression requirements on the 7 and 28 day breaks. I would personally never use a runway they build.! The BVI has the manpower to do this , lets keep the jobs here!