“I do not understand this kind of thing,” complained
one local labourer.
“There is one set of rules on the com-pound for us and then
another set for the French people.”
He explained that the locals were told not to wear sleeveless and
short pants while the French people, who came to install the tower
cranes were wearing shorts and sleeveless T-shirts.
“You know how those French people love their wines and alcoholic
spirits?
“Well, Trinis were told to take an alcohol test before we
started working while the French people were not told to do so.
“And you know why? …
“They are our employers.
“But this is not right!”
Another complaint from this particular site is that the Ministry
of Labour is not monitoring to be able to detect instances where
some are made to work 60-hour weeks.
Representatives from the Environmental Management Authority (EMA)
have also not been seen at the site since construction commenced,
they say.
Labourers also complained that covers for cars had been provided
for employees at the nearby Furness Building to protect vehicles
from dust and flying objects but none had been given to workers
of the actual construction site.
This, they say, is unfair.
When Mirror visited the site, no representative from the foreign
company was on location and its supervisor could not be reached
for comment on the ongoing situation. |
