President of the Tipper Truckers Association Earl Laudat said truckers on the island have not blamed the Roosevelt Skerrit administration for the non-inclusion of local truckers for the construction of the Roseau to Portsmouth road rehabilitation project.
Initially, truckers expressed concerns for the first time following the official ground-breaking of the Japanese -funded Fisheries Complex in Portsmouth in January, after they were told that their services would not be needed.
And last week, they expressed similar sentiments about the $100 million Chinese-funded Roseau to Portsmouth road rehabilitation project, which ground was officially broken for on Friday.
But Laudat said while truckers are upset the latest project has been in the pipeline for some time now.
“I wouldn’t want to blame government because that project has been in the pipeline for a long while. I think if they sit and rationalize the situation, they would realize that it would be cheaper for them to use the local truckers,” he said.
He said “because the Chinese are giving us a grant, they would want to use their own labour. But there is no way it would be cheaper for them. It’s not a matter of fighting for jobs. I heard people saying that we are fighting the Chinese. We appreciate the grant but at the end of the day we too must get something out of it,” he said.
Sixteen Chinese technicians began work on the road project Friday, following the ceremony.
Public Works Minister Rayburn Blackmoore had said that government is negotiating to have locals included in the project.
What is happening to Dominicans happened to Native Americans already! They sold out their brothers for BLING BLING! Yes some wise ones resisted but they are all dead now. You must stand together even it is in Boman clothes and think of the future. You have a paradise yet you want to be on B.E.T. Don’t let the Gov. sell you out. The power is in the people. Stand up for your rights. I pray for Dominica you are very vulnerable. Not your fault.
why when voting time we all understand each other no barrer
I am kinda confused,in these hard economic times the whole world over,free or not, is it not the duty of the government to provide jobs the voting public,I remember working with nello and teer on the roseau to hatton garden road rehabilation project some years ago,and there where several orther companies like rush and tomkins, and hundreds of dominicans were employed,so what is really going on now, you have so many young people on the streets,involve in drugs,thiefs,rappist,murder,in and out of jail,and you telling me them chinese alone should do that work,you know how much years we been longing for that road project,some of us had to migrate to find work abroad,this is how much onfair dominica has been, and will always be to its own people,
So allu think 16 Chinese technicians enough to build a road?????
Dominicans must get jobs on the project,
Much ado about nothing. We will soon see the number of Dominicans that willl be able to eat because of this project.
u could not say it any better to many poeple want to work
jump high jump low….truckers SOME of all u too lazy and the chinese dat doing the GRANT job!
experienced:
you are a person that think outside the box. I agree a project of that magnitude should include locals. but at the same time, I think that this can cause many more issues. What if the same truckers decide they want more pay and decide not to show up to work. that’s a delay on the project and more cost. We have to overstand business. the Cheaper you can create a product, the bigger your profit margin. most business’s are not willing to taek these risks.
can
adan come to dominica to back in the 70ts they emlployed lots of locals why cant the others do that
One Step forward.. Two steps back;
We are getting a road but what about the work / workers?
A thank you is in order to the Chinese people for the grant (which means it comes without repayment) but NOTHING is ever free when it comes to politics and Government.
The repayment is in the workers! The Chinese workers are getting much more than what it would have cost IF we had to pay them back.
Room and Board
Payments to the Chinese Workers
Air Ticket
Meals
At the end of the day, it probably would have been more economical to get the local Dominican technicians to complete the work.
Now, the question of the day is:
What is the going rate of a Chinese technicians that works oversees. Multiply that by Sixteen; that price is just minimal to what it will cost us in the end for this GRANT!!!
Remember: The best things in life are free (This new road, is NOT one of them)!!!
Here is the link to the government’s website for more details about the project.
http://www.gis.dominica.gov.dm/features/gbcowr.php
Avant moin fermer bouche moin, just one more thing: I hope that truckers are reading this. I hope the comments regarding your laziness and laissez faire attitude about work is not correct. If they are true, then you need to introspectively look at yourselves and your work ethics. If not, when we start building four-star hotels and other big projects, you will continue to have these same issues.
Think of your work habits (if what they are saying is true), then let us talk about how you may contribute to your growth as we move forward.
I support you whole-heartedly as my fellow Dominicans. However, if what I am reading is true, do not even think of organized labour, because laziness + laissez faire attitude + organized labour = disaster and stagnation.
I guess if some of you were truckers in need of work then your perspective would be different. Grant or not, we need to understand the mindset of the Chinese people, they never employ anyone but their own people. This is what they do worldwide, so we shouldn’t really be surprised.
Lets be fair here. We did not get a loan from China to rehab the roads. We got a grant which means the finance is free (no repayment). If we getting labour, materials, trucking, and everything else free why we have to pay truckers? I don’t get it. One can argue that truckers need work but that was never part of the original deal so we cannot make the Chinese hire truckers just to get them something to do and pay them more money after they giving us free road. Having said that, I hope is a grant we really get for the road works because if is a loan then we need to put local truckers to work because is Dominicans that going to pay back the loan anyway.
SO TELL ME , ALL “DOM”INICANS, DO WE STILL WONDER Y WE R NOT ANYWHERE?
HEAR THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE SAY TO HOLD BACK OUR OWN PEOPLE, WE ALWAYS FIGHTING EACH OTHER LIKE CRABS IN A BARREL. INSTEAD LET US COME TOGETHER AND WORK AS A TEAM WE CHOOSE NOT TO, Y?
THE TRUCKERS R DOMINICANS JUST LIKE ME AND YOU, SHOULD WE LEAVE THEM HUNGRY? BUT NO, GO AGAINST THEM BECAUSE YOU HAVE FOOD ON YOUR TABLE.
WE WILL NEVER CHANGE
NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALL THOSE WITH THE DIRTY COMMENTS, ONE DAY YOUR TIME WILL COME, JUST WAIT AND SEE!
All this talk of too many holidays and Dominicans being lazy sounds foolish to me. I believe there are over 13 holidays in the US and its typical for Europeans to holiday for a month yet companies get things accomplished and are productive. Dont be so quick to put ones self down under the illusion that someone else is better. The Chinese are known for getting things done quick and cheap but cheap and quick does not mean good quality or better. So stop bashing Dominican workers and demand the government include local workers on all future projects.
I agree with all the Commentators who say “Too Many Holidays” in DA. Small buisnesses I am sure are feeling the pain of it, as well as Work completion IN TIME.
we just begin to see how the so call deals the Govt have with made with other countries excludes DOMINICANS and it is a shame .. we should be asking ourselves how much more of these deals are there , the writer is correct will these workers be given free citizenship ..
Look people, much as i would have loved to see dominicans involved, it is not going to happen. Dominicans spoil it for themselves, we like to voleir too much. Let the chinese do their work, but when the road finsih count them so make sure every last one of them go back to china.
Many are asking what are we getting, we are getting a highway, something we never could have, i understand that the truckers want some of it but we Dominicans with our doh care attitude will keep the chiness back, they work 24/7 and they take no hollidays, we should be glad and greatful these people are doing this for us, greed is really bad.
the truckers need a union and be hired as a union. major construction companies are not going to hire individual trucker one by one but by contracts through there unions.
i am a Dominican and i say Dominicans are not professional and really too many damn holidays in this place thats why we are not productive as we need to be
Why is the Govt only now trying to local trucker in the mix. I’m happy that the Govt is doing that, but shouldn’t that have been done before hand.
Also, I may be wrong, but as far as I remember local trucks were used when the Bayfront was being built.
I ask again…..does anyone wonder why the overseas companies are not interested in the local Truckers? If using them was a viable option that allowed the project to run smoothly & within budget why would they not use them?
There’s a lot of nice patriotic talk here but we are talking buisness decisions & until the Truckers & Dominican labour on the whole change their attitudes many more projects will go on without them. Forcing them on the contracted companies will not work as they will not lower their standards & become ineffcient just to accomadate locals.
These are facts people….I know what I’m talking about. As the saying goes….Been there…done that.
Dominicans are said to be lazy and that we have to many holidays in the country which will not let the project complete on time. Though we would want the small businesses or Dominicans on a whole to be involved in the Road Project the Chinese with their team will not procrastinate.
The project will be completed in the said time!
But i support the Tipper Truckers for wanting to be part of this project.
Maybe what we need is more businesses in that field to be more effective and willing to work so that the Government can consider them
Do you know why Japan provided aid, grants, and gifts to Dominica a few years ago? Do you why the relationship became tepid? The answer…drum roll, please…drrrrrrrrrr!!!! WHALING…they wanted to get the rights to slaughter whales off the coast of Dominica. However, after being pressured by the World Wildlife Foundation, and getting a bunch of negative publicity on the world stage, we blinked.
Our PM did a good mea culpa last year during the Ocean Life Symposium to submerge that problem.
Transparency in government! Transparency in government!! Transparency in government!!!
We live on the information super highway, and we are not the only ones driving on it.
@hmmm
I’m confused too, even more so when they said they don’t blame the chinese either. So what’s all the hoopla about?
ADDENDUM
When government is negotiating contracts with the Chinese governement or any other government, there must be an inclusion criteria for Dominican nationals!
We need to eradicate crimes and violence in Dominica, by creating employment for Dominicans, ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH!
Will these workers receive economic citizenship for being transported to Dominica to work on this project? Is that part of the alleged undisclosed deal?
We need answers!!
A Concerned Dominican
Why has the government accepted development for Dominica where Dominican nationals are not part of the development process?
There is allegedly some undercover deal for the government to accept a development plan from the chinese government to include only chinese employees. We must read between the lines – this is very suspicious.
This is happening on too many occasions. Certainly, we welcome support from China, but why these developers are not creating jobs for the Dominican nationals?
ABSOLUTELY LOCALS MUST BE INCLUDED IN THESE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS – WHY ARE THEY BEING EXCLUDED WHEN SO MANY INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH ARE UNEMPLOYED?
There are more questions than answers!!!!!!!! Time will tell!
A Concerned Dominican
To: Lady,
I commend you for your comments. You understand it. Why do you think it is so difficult for our fellow country men and women to get such a simple concept?
I am a recent blogger to this site, and most of the time, I am flabbergasted by the magnitude of wanton ignorance and short-sightedness shared by many of my fellow Dominicans. Ca qui faire cerveau nous, bon dieu.
I HAD TO READ THIS ARTICLE SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY TO SUSPEND REALITY IN OTHER WORDS TO TRY TO CONVINCE MYSELF THAT WHAT I WAS READING AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG. SO, I SAID I WASN’T GOING TO COMMENT ON THIS BUT I JUST COULDN’T HELP MYSELF.
1. MR. EARL LAUDAT, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY WRONG IN YOUR THINKING, AND PEOPLE PLEASE THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON THE PM, BUT THE GOVERNMENT OF DOMINICA REGARDLESS OF WHO THE RULING PARTY IS, IS ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BENEFIT, WELL BEING AND INTEREST OF ITS PEOPLE. HOW ARE THEY NOT THE ONE TO BLAME?
2. HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT THE PROJECT HAS BEEN IN THE PIPE LINE FOR SOMETIME AND WE ARE STILL AT THIS POINT WHERE WE ARE NOW, ACCORDING TO THE PUBLIC WORKS MINISTER NOW TRYING TO NEGOTIATING TO HAVE LOCALS PART TAKE. WHAT COMPLETE NONSENSE. WHO WAS IT NEGOTIATING THIS? I UNDERSTAND, YES IT IS A GRANT AND THE PR OF CHINA HAVE IN THEIR RIGHT, TO DECIDE WHO AND HOW THEIR MONIES WILL BE SPENT BUT IT IS OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL’S RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO DEMAND FROM INITIAL TALKS,THAT A PERCENTAGE OF THIS PROJECT OR ANY BE DONE BY THE LOCALS, AND THAT YOUR CITIZENS CAN AND WILL CONTRIBUTE IN SOME PRODUCTIVE WAY.
MY PEOPLE PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ISN’T FREE, THE GOVERNMENT OF DOMINICA HAD TO GIVE SOMETHING UP FOR THIS. UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE PART OF LARGER COMMUNITY AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS CONSIDER WHAT IS BEST FOR US SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM AS WELL.
UNITED NATIONS ANYONE! PLEASE SEE THE BIG PICTURE, WE HAVE OBLIGATIONS INTERNATIONALLY AND TO ANY NATION WE SIGN TREATY WITH AND IF WE CAN’T SECURE WORK FOR OUR PEOPLE WHAT ARE WE DOING, THAT IN THE LONG RUN MAKE BE DETRIMENTAL TO US.
WITHOUT TAKING UP MORE TIME, I WILL SAY THAT THE PROJECT IS GREAT FOR DOMINICA, BUT WE HAVE TO CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS WITH MORE INTELLIGENCE WE CAN ALWAYS BE SEEN AS BEING INADEQUATE. WE CAN’T JUST SIT BACK AND HAVE THE REST OF THE
WORLD DEVELOP OUR COUNTRY FOR US, WHERE IS THE NATIONAL PRIDE TO BE GAIN FROM SUCH AN ATTITUDE. WE CAN’T CONTINUE TO LACK CONFIDENCE OURSELVES.
IT IS ABOUT TIME WE CREATED A SELF PROJECT AND IN OTHER TO DO SO WE NEED A SELF PROJECT PHILOSOPHY/ THINKING.
STUDY WHAT THE CHINESE DID DURING THE MING DYNASTY, THEY WASN’T ALWAYS RICH.
GOD HELP DOES THAT HELP THEMSELVES, SELF DETERMINATION IS A BEAUTIFUL CONCEPT!
“THE LESS WELL-OFF WE ARE, THE MORE VULNERABLE WE ARE TO PRESSURES AND TRADE-OFFS FROM DONOR NATIONS.”
I AM MORE IN SUPPORT OF OUR CIVIL ENGINEERS PARTNERING WITH THE CHINESE (EVEN IF IN A MENTORSHIP CAPACITY). THIS WAY, THERE WILL BE A TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE THAT WE CAN UTILIZE FOR FUTURE ROAD MAINTENANCE AND OTHER INFASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS.
WE DOMINICANS NEED TO THINK ON A LONG-TERM BASIS.
If we are not self-sufficient, we are left at the mercy of those who give us hand-outs with many strings attached. When our benefactor sneezes, we will definitely catch his cold; AND IF WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CURE OUR COLD, WE WILL REMAIN SICK FOR LONG PERIOD.
I am for progress – even when it means taking a hand-out sometimes. However, let us make certain that our terms are part of the equation.
Hmmm….. Infrastructural development without people development is is no development…..
Even though we are grateful to the Chineese for the Road the govt can and should ensure that Dominicans gain employment on the project as well. ….. truckers, labourers…. Look at the Stadium, yes we got a lovely stadium but how many Dominicans skilled or otherwise can claim to have gotten one wage out of it? The people grew there own crops and rared their own meat right there!
…………at the end of the day we too must get something out of it.
You will get to drive on it.
You get out what you put in. The Chinese Truck drivers are Paying tax in China, they have put in so they have the right to take out.
I can understand where the truckers association coming into play, but at the same time these people are coming with their own team, that have been working together for some time. I do not think that it would be cheaper to hire locals in the long run. when chinese workign 2-3 oclock in the morning them locals may want to call it quits…take days off. So why worry about that when i can have a reliable team . At the end of the day, the projects completion is of most importance.
Think of it this way. I get a project to go build a school in Portsmouth. I already have my crew that is used to working together. Do you think that i will feel comfortable leavign that crew behind and goign to pick up guys in Portsmouth to do that job. For one, I do not know how reliable these guys or their vehicles are. It might cost me more for downtime because fellas truck down. Then there is the langauge and cultural barriers that can hinder the project.
I agree with Mr. Laudat. When the government is negotiating contracts be they big or small they should insist on an inclusion therein that would engage the locals in the work. The Chinese or anyone else is giving us the grant but the labor is being done by their people, hence the money goes back to them to further help their economy while our local workers are left without a job.
Mr. Blackmore think about that!
The truckers needs to realise they can pnly be hired of there are openings. The company is not obligated to hire them. It appears like the government didnt negotaite this before and only now they are considering it. The truckers need to go back to overcharging home builders on the island for the transportation of sand aggregate and blocks.
now tell me if you’re not blaming Government then who are u blaming? still confused