Jagdeo talks up importance of Chinese workers in construction

Last Updated on Thursday, 22 May 2025, 22:05 by Writer

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday highlighted the importance of Chinese nationals working Guyana’s booming construction sector.

“A lot of things that are happening now, they contract because the Chinese may be able to do it faster and, in some cases, cheaper,” he told a news conference.

He noted that “almost all the hotels” were being built by Chinese nationals. They included the Pegasus Hotel’s corporate suites, King’s Hotel on Waterloo and Quamina streets, and Aiden on Oronoque and Robb streets.

“If they didn’t contract them, they couldn’t get some of these buildings built,” he said.

The United States continues to express concern about increased Chinese commercial and political influence in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Suriname’s President Chandrikapersad Santokhi recently told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the contracts were being advertised but no American company was bidding.

Mr Rubio had also expressed concern about the quality of work being done by the Chinese.

The new Demerara Harbour Bridge is being built by a Chinese company, and the Corentyne River Bridge and the new Berbice River Bridge are tipped to be built by Chinese companies.

Mr Jagdeo was at the time addressing concerns by Guyanese truckers that they were no longer being hired to transport sand to construction sites as the trucking business was being dominated by Chinese.

He said a check revealed that no Chinese owns any of the quarries, but the locals have ‘rented’ them out to Chinese operators.

Mr Jagdeo said in contrast to a few years ago when fewer trucks and other heavy-duty machinery were being sold, there was now greater demand for transportation.

He urged police to enforce the traffic laws evenly, instead of treating the Chinese drivers preferentially.