The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

CHINA Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) executives estimate it has spent $1.6 million to-date on the North Abaco port facility’s construction, with Bahamians expected to make up 70-80 per cent of its workforce during peak activity.

Felix Chang , CHEC (Bahamas) chief, while addressing the Abaco Business Outlook conference, said the company intended to cap its Chinese labour component at 12.

He added that the company broke ground on the $39 million port development back in June, and was looking to grow its team and move “full steam ahead” with construction.

Mr Chang said CHEC company has received nearly 200 applications for the various positions available on the project.

“Starting as early as October 1, significant site clearance will begin. This means that over the next several weeks, as we finalise our requirements, we will be conducting final interviews with those candidates who have been shortlisted for positions,” said Mr Chang.

“However, just to start the project, we are going to need a dozen operators working full time with the team we already have on-site.”

Mr Chang said the company’s work schedule will require them to hire additional workers in the 2015 first quarter, with more than one dozen added at the end of the second quarter.

“For the Chinese labour component, we are going to cap it to around one dozen workers,” he said. “So by the end of September, the Chinese labour versus the local labour component will be 1:1.

“At the end of December it will be 1:2; by the end of March the ratio will be 1:3, and going into summer of 2015 the staff ratio will be one Chinese worker for every four Bahamian employees.”

Mr Chang added: “Over the course of the next two years, we will also have great need for construction equipment rentals. From this point on, we will not be bringing in any new heavy construction equipment from anywhere else in the world. We are committed to using the local resources available to complete this project on time and on budget.”

CHEC is constructing a 45.4-acre port facility which is being jointly funded by the Bahamian and Chinese governments. The port is to be an inland port with a 20-slip marina to handle international and domestic operations.

It will have bulk material storage, roll-on/roll-off ramps, a warehouse facility, a landing craft warehouse and an administration building containing government offices.