The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Several Bahamian contractors yesterday voiced concern they are being excluded from public works contracts as others backed the Government for trying to "stimulate as best they can".

Jacob Fowler, owner/operator of C-Jays Building Construction, told Tribune Business: “Mostly it’s the sidewalks that are going down. I see a lot of the painting up of some of the bus stations; where the bus stops are. There isn’t anything major out there, but they are trying to stimulate as best they can.

"I think this is going to help a bit, because you know how construction goes. I see a lot of sidewalks going down, and I believe I am quoted to get one of those sidewalks myself.

"Let’s say when I get that I would be able to take six people on with me. That’s six families, and then there are a lot of them going on. Some of them are bigger than the ones I am going on. That’s a lot of little families that are going to have some money in their pocket. I really want to see this economy come back.”

However, Edison Thompson, owner/operator of Edison Thompson Construction, said: “I haven’t seen anything. I guess it is politics. You have to be in a certain grouping to really even be a part of these things.

"I know they have spent a lot on these sidewalks, but it looks like the same group of people all the time doing the jobs. I don’t know the persons who have these sidewalks contracts personally, but there are certain guys you see everywhere, and it’s been like that for years. Even if you don’t see them they have somebody that’s doing it for them.”

Mr Thompson continued: “Sometimes these guys aren’t even contractors. What they would do is they would get the contract and call a contractor, and they would get someone from the Government to help them out and give the contractor peanuts out of it.

"Sometimes these guys don’t even do construction who do these jobs; don’t forget that part. A lot of times these guys just know the right people and they get a government contractor's license just to get the job, but they don’t know anything about the work- Then they just call somebody up and give them peanuts. That’s the way it works here.”

Questioning the $20m that Desmond Bannister, minister for works, said had been allocated for sidewalk construction, Mr Thompson added: “I have just been seeing sidewalks going up within the last few weeks, so where has the $20m gone?

"And it’s not only construction. I have a problem with the $1m a week on food. I don’t see that either. But that $20m is so far, though, because you can call so much people and involve them in little contracts with that. So sad, but this is the way the system is here."

Alexander Hanna, owner/operator of Alex Construction, said: “I haven’t done anything for about two or three years, and I’m trying to figure out where these works are. I can’t even get a pencil to draw in the road. I’m trying to get some of those sidewalk jobs and can’t get them. I’ve been calling people and I can’t get anyone.

“I’m trying to find out where these sidewalks are ,and where is this money and where is the work at? I have been in the field for many years. I have guys in the Sunset Park area that want to work because every time I got a government contract three or four years ago I would hire these young men and get them off of the streets. But I can’t even get ants off of the streets now.”

Mr Hanna added: “I don’t understand what’s going on. I’m serious. I went to a seminar at the Hilton Hotel and they gave me some brochures, and I gave them all of my stuff, my cell number and my company number and my business license and my tax compliance certificate, and zero. So whatever they are saying is foolishness to me."