Beverley Anderson-Manley

The Spanish hotels are changing the tourism landscape in Jamaica. Thirteen hotels are slated to be built at an estimated value of 300 to 600 million U.S. dollars.

Spanish colonialism ruled over Jamaica from 1494 to 1655. Some 350 years after the British captured Jamaica from the Spaniards, they are back - but with a difference.

If this kind of invasion was taking place in a corporate entity there would be a number of concerns that would require specially designed interventions. Using the construction site on which a Spanish hotel is being constructed as a case study, there are several issues that emerge. In terms of the hierarchical nature of the construction site, there are the developers of their representatives at the top. Then there are the big contractors, who are often from overseas. They then employ the local sub-contractors who, in turn employ the workers - skilled and unskilled. Relationships and communication between these groups are critical.

A clash of cultures

Then, there is likely to be a clash of cultures, including the fact of a different language.

In terms of the ancestral memory, this kind of construction site lends itself to the plantation where at the apex of the triangle, there is the white ruling class and at the bottom the black masses of people.

All this is not to excuse anyone's behaviour - whether they are developers, contractors, sub-contractors or workers. However, a better understanding of aspects of the Jamaican culture is conducive to the success of the building project. In addition Jamaica has not had this level of foreign direct investment since the bauxite explosion in the 1960s. An entire generation of Jamaicans has grown up with little understanding of this type of investment.

It should not come as surprise, therefore, that there have been problems on these sites. It is clear that no lessons have been learned from the experience of the Bah?a Pr?ncipe hotel at Pear Tree Bottom.

Building fees

During the construction phase, the collapse of the decking in the hotel's lobby resulting in the death of a worker and injuries to several others should have alerted the authorities, particularly the Parish Council of St Ann to the fact that safety procedures were being breached. This was so in spite of the fact that the parish council had collected millions of dollars in building fees to ensure that careful monitoring of the construction on the site took place.

In all the parishes where these hotels are being built, it is the parish councils that collect millions of dollars in building fees. For example, in the case of St James, the parish council should have collected $63.35 million in relation to the Ibero Star and Palmyra Projects. Another lesson that should be learned form the Bahia Principe experience is to do with the poor communication and relationships on the site.

The Fiesta construction site is situated in Hanover eastern in a place called Elgin Town on the border with Hanover western. Workers come from Hanover and adjoining parishes. The Mayor of Lucea has already resigned due to conflict of interest issues. The workers complain about the lack of toilets and sanitation generally on the site. They complain about the inadequate security on the site and late payment of wages. They complain about the lack of respect meted out to them. They complain about their safety when they are doing scaffolding, for example. This was a disaster waiting to happen. What is interesting is that in spite of all the problems the hotel is being constructed at a fast pace. How well is the site being monitored?

Before the site re-opens at Fiesta, Government must ensure that environmental needs are being met, and that JIC procedures are being adhered to. It would help if there was an expert in industrial relations matters assigned to the project. While we welcome these investments, it cannot be at the expense of our rules and procedures. The developers, the contractors, it cannot be at the expense of our rules and procedures. The developers, the contractors, the sub-contractors and workers must take responsibility for what takes place on the site. The Government, in turn, must insist that procedures laid down in Jamaican law are followed - if this second invasion is to be mutually beneficial.