Dangriga construction workers protest for jobs
When you approach Dangriga and hear the familiar Garifuna drums, it is usually motivated by a party or celebration. But for the group, the Concerned Builders of Dangriga, who gathered at the Drums of My Fathers Roundabout at the entrance to that municipality, there was little to be happy about. They were voicing their discontent today with government projects that were being conducted without creating employment for the townsfolk. Marion Ali travelled to Dangriga to get a clear picture.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Bearing placards scripted “Life is Hard” and “We need Work” and beating drums in the scorching sun, the handful of construction workers assembled to make public their gripe over their unemployment. But its not that there’s no jobs in Dangriga—they say they are being excluded from the major government projects being carried out in their community.
Glen Lewis, Contractor
“We are contractors, we pay trade license and we don’t have no work. Certain individual automatic get the job, you know.”
Marion Ali
And they’re not from Dangriga?
Glen Lewis
“And they’re not from Dangriga. They have several projects that are being implemented and we are being excluded.”
Maurice Martinez, Concerned Citizen
“ We need work and these men are construction workers and we need them so that we can keep them from off the street and so that we can continue our livelihood.”
The problem according to President of the group, Glen Lewis, is that while the projects are tendered, contractors like himself from Dangriga are not invited to submit their proposals and they can’t say why.
Maurice Martinez
“SIF need to consider Dangrigan to do Dangriga project, period.”
Marion Ali
“Mister Lewis, what if I go to SIF and ask them and they say you simply don’t meet the tendering requirements or there’s nobody from Dangriga who meets their standards?”
Glen Lewis
“If such be the answer from SIF, then that is total ridiculous.”
And the contractor, Glen Lewis seemed to have a valid reason for his stance.
Glen Lewis
“I am the one who built this plan right here at Epworth Methodist School. The first flat was designed to have a zinc roof. I asked the principal, in the best interest of the school if we can put a concrete roof that in the future the building can be expanded. Yes the permission was granted to me. We constructed the concrete roof on this building at the Methodist school and so is it now that there is a concrete roof on that building. We were not contacted from no one for the project that was to be continued on said building. That is the injustice.”
Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.
The contractors call on the Human Rights Commission, the government, and SIF to hear their plea. Meanwhile, News Five contacted The Social Investment Fund this evening, which is the implementing agency for the government projects. According to SIF’s Public Relations Officer, Mike Hernandez, each organization that funds SIF has its own procurement guidelines. He added that SIF has to pass through a series of checks and balance and approvals, including the Caribbean Development Bank, which funds the projects. Hernandez also added that tenders for the projects are advertised in newspapers for a few weeks before the deadlines. And it appears the men’s appeal will be met sooner than later because Hernandez says he will visit with the contractors tomorrow morning.
