Currently in the Bahamas the level of unemployment is escalating day by day as Bahamians lose their jobs because of the downward spiral in economic activity. This situation is effecting Bahamians, not only in New Providence, but also throughout the Bahamas. Just recently, a sheet metal worker who lives in the Grants Town Constituency brought to my attention that he was unemployed and unable to provide for his family. The Grants Town Constituent also brought to my attention that a large number of Mexican Nationals in the air conditioning field are currently employed at the Government’s Ministry of Education Building being constructed on JFK Drive.

The gentleman also pointed out that there are other Bahamians known to him with air conditioning installation expertise, who are also unemployed and are forced to sit and watch non-Bahamians being employed in this field. I take this opportunity to remind the FNM Government, that the FNM National Investment Policy issued in August of 1998 clearly defines the business areas reserved for Bahamians. One such area is Construction Companies, except for special structures for which international expertise is required. At the time of this policy statement, the movers and shakers in the Construction Industry concurred with such a posture.

It is out of this policy statement that I wish to address the Construction Sector, specifically the Air Conditioning Contracting Division that is affected by the FNM Government’s National Investment Policy. I took the time to peruse the 2001 edition of the Yellow Pages and I found that more than 50 companies are said to be offering air conditioning services in New Providence. This revelation logically begs the question as to why the FNM Government approved a large number of work permits for Mexicans to install air conditioning in the new Ministry of Education’s Administrative Building on JFK Drive, immediately west of the Customs Building? The General Contractor for the project is Carl G. Treco Construction Company Ltd.

My research to date has uncovered that there are some 19 Mexicans at the construction site. The positions they hold include, sheet metal workers, installators, electricians, pipe fitters, air conditioning technicians and mechanical design specialists. I am advised that some of these non-Bahamian workers have been granted work permits and some have not been given work permits as yet. It is also my information that many of these workers have also brought their families along with them to the Bahamas. It is likewise my information that a company by the name of Caribbean International Air Conditioning Services Ltd. (hereby referred to as CIACS Ltd.) is listed on the work permits in the possession of some of the non-Bahamians working on the job site.

A search of the Registrar General’s Department revealed that CIACS Ltd. was incorporated on July 11, 2000. No returns were indicated on the record to indicate who are the owners of the company.

However, I am advised that a company by the name of Platinum Corporate Services Ltd. and Smith’s Air Conditioning International Ltd. have some connection with CIACS. The owner of Smith’s Air Conditioning International Ltd. is one Cecil Smith. Mr. Cecil Smith is also an Officer of the FNM Party, which I presume would have qualified him to be a delegate in the recent FNM Leader-designate Convention. I am also advised that the project manager of CIACAS Ltd. doing the air conditioning work on the Ministry of Education’s building is one, Jose Luis Cabada Arenas, a Mexican National, who is said to be connected with a Mexican company by the name of CYSA Company of Mexico.

I have been reliably informed that Mr. Cecil Smith is a conduit for the affairs of the CIACAS Ltd. Company in the Bahamas and he also signs the cheques for the company. This arrangement raises a number of questions begging for answers.

1. WHO FACILITATED CIACS LTD IN ITS RECEIVING OF THIS CONTRACT TO DO AIR CONDITIONING WORK ON THIS PROJECT? IS THIS THE FIRST JOB THE CIACAS LTD. COMPANY HAS DONE IN THE BAHAMAS? IF NOT, WHERE DID THEY PREVIOUSLY DO SUCH WORK?
2. WHO FACILITATED THE AVAILABILITY OF WORK PERMITS FOR THE NON-BAHAMIANS WORKING UNDER THE NAME OF THIS COMPANY IN THE BAHAMAS?
3. WHY ARE SOME OF THE MEXICANS WORKING ON THIS JOB SITE WITHOUT WORK PERMITS TO DATE?
4. WHO IS THE BAHAMIAN OR FOREIGNER THAT HAS AN INROAD INTO THE GOVERNMENT, ALLOWING THIS ARRANGEMENT TO CONTINUE AS I SPEAK?
5. WHO IS THE PERSON IN THE GOVERNMENT THAT HAS GIVEN AN ATTENTIVE EAR TO, AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR, THE SANCTIONING OF THIS ARRANGEMENT?
6. WHY HAS THE GOVERNMENT GRANTED WORK PERMITS FOR JOBS THAT CAN BE PERFORMED BY BAHAMIANS?
7. IS THE BAHAMAS WITHOUT PIPE FITTERS, SHEET METAL WORKERS, ELECTRICIANS, INSTALLATORS, AIR CONDITIONING TECHNICIANS, OR MECHANICAL DESIGN SPECIALISTS?
8. DID THE AIR CONDITIONING CONTRACT GO OUT TO TENDER? IF SO, WAS THERE ANY PUBLIC NOTICE INVITING THE PUBLIC TO BID?
9. WERE THERE ANY BIDS SUBMITTED, IF THE CONTRACT DID GO OUT TO TENDER? IF SO, WOULD THE GOVERNMENT PLEASE REVEAL TO THE PUBLIC WHO BID AND HOW MUCH?
10. IF THE CONTRACT DID NOT GO OUT TO TENDER, WHO DECIDED THAT IT SHOULD NOT AND WHY?

investigations. However, I must ask how can the government justify granting and/or renewing work permits, as well as allowing non-Bahamians to be working on a government project without work permits at any time in general, but specifically at this time as the unemployment rosters in the Bahamas are expanding at an alarming rate? And likewise, when there are Bahamians that can do such work?

On behalf of all Bahamians, those employed and those unemployed, I demand that the government remove, forthwith, all non-Bahamians with or without work permits from the Ministry of Education’s job site on JFK Drive, where it is found that there are Bahamians who are qualified, able and willing to do the same type of work needed to continue and complete the air conditioning contract at the project site.

In the face of such brazen endorsement by the government of non-Bahamians working on a government project where Bahamians can do the same work; I am compelled to wonder how many other job sites in the Bahamas is being dominated by non-Bahamian labor, precluding and prohibiting Bahamians from doing the jobs that they have been able to perform for decades?

I remind the FNM Government that just as it was public funds that was used to do the school repairs this past summer, it is likewise public funds that is doing the Ministry of Education’s Building on JFK Drive. The taxpayers of the Bahamas should not be left again to feel that their money was spent in a fashion and with a motive that they did not agree to and certainly would not condone.
 
 

NAME POSITION

1. JOSE LUIS CABADA ARENAS PROJECT MANAGER

2. KARLA GONSEN GARCIA DESIGN SPECIALIST

3. JOSE LUIS MEDINE ELECTRICIAN

4. DAVID OLMEDO BARANCO A.C. TECHNICIAN

5. DIONISIO SALAZAR SHEETMETAL

6. EDUARDO MALDONADO PIPEFITTER

7. IGNACIO CORTEZ INSULATOR

8. JORGE ALBERTO GARCIA SANCHEZ SHEETMETAL

9. VICTOR AVILA INSULATOR

10. RAUL MARTINEZ SHEETMETAL WORKER

11. MARTIN FELIX ROA INSULATOR

12. JORGE ALBERTO GARCIA SHEETMETAL

13. MARTIN VARGAS HERNANDEZ PIPEFITTER

14. JOSE GIOVANNI ARIAS ELECTRICIAN

15. SALVADOR RODRIGUEZ INSULATOR

16. AUGUSTIN ARGUETA ESCOBAR PIPEFITTER

17. VICENTE VARGAS HERNANDEZ PIPEFITTER

18. JUAN CARLOS MARTINEZ SHEETMETAL WORKER

19. VICTOR AMARO BARAHONA MATERIALS PROCUREMENT