"We have entrusted our construction sector to the Chinese – says a major Jamaican entrepreneur

Share this on:

WILLIAMS … the Jamaican construction sector is under enormous pressure (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

(OBSERVER OF JAMAICA) – The famous Jamaican architect Evan Williams laments the disappearance of the construction industry and the Jamaican architecture as a result of large projects attributed to Chinese companies.

Williams recently oversaw the construction and design of the 48-room, long-stay business hotel, R, located on Renfrew Road in Kingston at a cost of $ 6.5 million. The R is now open to businesses with an official opening ceremony scheduled for mid-March.

Williams, who heads the Architects Design Collaborative, explained that Jamaica had yielded its construction industry to the Chinese with local artisans and craftsmen left behind.

"The Jamaican construction industry is under tremendous pressure and many of our building professionals have to leave the country. On this project, which took two and a half years, many Jamaican professionals left. Why? Because we have entrusted our construction industry to the Chinese, "Williams told Jamaica Observer.

"The Chinese are coming in and do not have to register in the same type of control as our masters of work. Chinese construction companies ignore Jamaica's know-how and, guess what, they do not pay the same taxes and fees and can import anything and anything they want, "Williams said.

In his 50-year career, Williams has worked in architecture in some of Jamaica's largest hotel projects including Sandals, Couples, Pegasus, Half Moon and Round Hill.

He welcomes the recent decision by the government to increase the number of floors of buildings and look to the sky rather than using rare earth for commercial activities.

"To develop an urban center like New Kingston, you have to go up and down, not through. In R, we have 10,000 feet underground, "he said. "We can not continue to take away land that people can live on for business. It will cost us in the long run.

Williams' sentiments of Chinese dominance over construction projects in Jamaica are very similar to those of another well-known Jamaican architect, Clifton Yap.

Yap believes that Jamaican construction professionals, architects and engineers should have the opportunity to carry out government projects.

Former prime contractor Leroy Brown, who was working with Kier and is currently working on projects in Qatar, said: "It's a pity and very sad to see projects such as downtown GraceKennedy and the new offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade go to Chinese and non-local companies. We have companies and professionals with so much talent and talent in Jamaica and they are neglected. This is really an indictment of the state of mind that currently prevails. The Matalons could have done a good job on the Grace building.

"What message would he have sent if the government had awarded the construction contract of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to a Jamaican company? Sir Charles Barry built the British Parliament, Sir Christopher Wren built St. Paul's Cathedral and the two British. Well, at least one West Indian, William Thornton, designed the US Capitol building.

Williams noted that Jamaica's construction and architectural industries have been in decline over the last 10 years.

"I am not a politician, but I suppose there are political reasons why foreigners gain in superiority over locals in the construction sector. Jamaicans do as well, if not better, than foreigners who come here. You take, for example, hotels that belong to non-Jamaicans. How many of them are built and designed by Jamaicans? I would say zero, said Williams.

"Most of them rely on their own professionals and expertise and leave Jamaicans safe from threats. Now, do not get me wrong, if I spend between $ 30 million and $ 40 million to build a 200 room hotel and I do not know the quality of the existing know-how in this country, I would like to take advantage of it. my own qualified professionals. This is not a problem for me, but there must be a compromise, which takes into account some local contributions, "Williams said.

He added that his career had brought him to many countries and that it was generally agreed that he would be allowed to work there, but that he was to bring something to the country.

"Half of the staff badigned to these projects should be local, but here in Jamaica, it does not work that way. Foreigners bring everything and ignore local expertise and products. Chinese workers are not even paid in Jamaican dollars. The money is sent back to China. What shocked me in the R Hotel project was that the workforce was to be made up of 60% Jamaicans and 40% Chinese, but that was not enough. is never produced. I discovered that many of them were not even Chinese but Vietnamese, "Williams said.

However, he said that Chinese companies have done a good job in road works and highways.

"The Chinese are fantastic road builders and are excellent at pouring concrete, but the quality of their details and finishes is a serious problem," he added.

Turning to the current state of hotel construction in Jamaica, Mr. Williams pointed out that the country's concerns about infrastructure and the environment were not sufficiently taken into account.

"When I first started, a 100-room hotel was an incredible feat in Jamaica. Today, you have more than 600 hotels and the impact on our local infrastructure is staggering. There is no concern for the environment, housing needs and community development.

"Twenty years ago, the staff got to know customers, but with a hotel with 500 rooms and a staff of 1,000, how do staff interact effectively with customers and provide the best service and convenience to customers? better attention is almost impossible.

"Yes, you build these mega hotels with 500 or more rooms, but where do the staff in charge of maintaining these hotels live? No adequate provision was made for them. Why do you think there are so many slums around Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril? These hotels are built by these foreign entities and the workers are not taken into account. People then wonder why slums exist, "he said.

(0)(0)