The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Government was yesterday accused of “selling out the Bahamian construction industry” over the workforce deal it struck with The Pointe’s Chinese developer.

Stephen Wrinkle, a former Bahamian Contractors Association (BCA) president, told Tribune Business that the agreement with China Construction America (CCA) was “unforgivable”, given both the local industry’s struggles and the Baha Mar debacle.

The outspoken contractor said the workforce agreement with CCA, which granted the Chinese construction company 500 work permits, and condemned Bahamian workers to a minority 40 per cent participation, had been negotiated “in a dark corner” without any transparency.

He added, though, that Bahamians continued to let successive governments “get away” with this because they failed to stand up for their rights.

Wading into the controversy over the $250 million development, adjacent to downtown Nassau’s British Colonial Hilton, Mr Wrinkle said of the labour deal: “What does that tell you?

“It’s a sad, sad situation for the builders, contractors and construction workers in this country that their own politicians sell them out to a multinational firm over work they’re capable of doing, and work they need when there is such a high unemployment rate in the construction industry.

“There is absolutely no valid reason with that project, The Pointe, why it cannot be built by Bahamians. Period. Full stop. End of discussion.”

In disclosing several details of CCA’s agreement with the Government, Leslie Pindling, its director of external affairs, said the developer/contractor had gone beyond what was required of it.

He said the current workforce split was 49/47 between Chinese and Bahamians, respectively (no mention of the other 4 per cent), and promised that the local labour component would increase once The Pointe neared the closing stages.

Mr Wrinkle, though, queried how Mr Pindling’s workforce ‘split’ data could be verified. And he also questioned whether CCA would ultimately deliver on its promises of greater Bahamian involvement as The Pointe neared completion.

“The point is that the industry, and representatives from the industry, were completely cut out of negotiations, and never had a seat at the table,” Mr Wrinkle charged.

“This deal was done in a dark corner with no regard given to Bahamian contractors. They [the Government] proceeded with this at a time when they knew CCA was not performing and living up to its obligations with Baha Mar. They were not performing, and they still gave them more concessions for this project with minimal Bahamian labour participation. It’s unforgivable.”

Mr Wrinkle said it was especially ironic that CCA had put up Mr Pindling, son of ‘Father of the Nation’, Sir Lynden Pindling, as its spokesperson. “What does that say about ‘Bahamianisation’” he asked.

Still, the former BCA president argued that the construction industry, and wider Bahamas, “deserved” what had happened at The Pointe given how passive they typically were in opposing such deals.

“The saddest thing is that the Bahamian contractors and workers don’t do anything about it,” Mr Wrinkle told Tribune Business. “It’s so disappointing that they don’t stand up for their rights and demand that the Government work for them.

“The Government is working in the back room without regard to this industry and our labour. We let them get away with it.

“That’s why I’m out of it. They just don’t care enough to do something about it. A couple of people make noise, and they’re the recipients of victimisation and retribution. The working population has not stood up and demanded that Government work for them. They take the tidbits handed out to them, and nothing gets done, nothing changes.”

No mention was made of the ‘workforce agreement’ struck between the Government and CCA during the lavish groundbreaking ceremony for The Pointe in August 2015.

At the time, the project was touted as providing 250 construction jobs for Bahamian workers. And Prime Minister Perry Christie said at the time that CCA would “hire a Bahamian contractor to hire labour and sub-contract”.

It is unclear whether either of these two pledges have happened, with Tribune Business sources subsequently suggesting that The Pointe’s construction had been placed in the hands of a Panamanian company that is owned by CCA.

Mr Wrinkle yesterday acknowledged that CCA had brought’s China’s established business model, which it employs worldwide, to its involvement in the Bahamas with both CCA and Baha Mar.

Besides supplying all the financing, labour, construction materials and other essential supplies, the ex-BCA chief said all profits were immediately repatriated back to China.

“One has to ask: Where are the benefits to the Bahamian population and the Bahamian economy, apart from a few consultants and attorneys,” Mr Wrinkle told Tribune Business.

“This the first time we’ve heard of the labour components for this project; it’s been a cloak and dagger back room operation.

“But we get what we deserve. We don’t make demands, and they [the Government] go with what they want. Bingo. Like sheep,” he added.

“Unless the Bahamian contractors, and other trades and business persons are prepared to take a stand and demand that the Government works for them, and not foreign interests, we’re not going to achieve anything.”