Rick Lowe
A friend sent this link to an article in The Wall Street Journal on February 16, 2011, about the Chinese investment in Baha Mar.
It's well worth the time to read, but here's a snippet I found most interesting:
"China State Construction is known for building many of the great public works in China, such as the new national swim center in Beijing dubbed the "Water Cube." It opened its first overseas office in Kuwait in the late 1970s and came to the U.S. in the 1980s."
"But North American projects initially were related to Chinese corporate or government interests. Only recently has the company expanded to include local projects such as the renovation of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, between Manhattan and the Bronx, and a new Metro-North train platform at Yankee Stadium."
By the way, I think it's a good thing the Chinese are coming, at least economically.
Ha, the Chinese are coming, and does it bode well for the Bahamas? Who cares; the only people to benefit are those that don’t need it (The Oligarchy, The Pit Bosses and the higher ups in society). The common Bahamian will never benefit from such an enterprise (unless they’re clever), and don’t get me started about the supposed work force they’re going to use on building the project, and the eventual work force whence it’s all completed. The Bahamian workers who will be used, will be in the minority compared to the many Chinese that will be working there. And with good reason; the complicated structural fabrications will exceed anything we’ve ever done, or even seen: The Chinese have built some of the most impressive structures on the planet, and continue to do so. And the Chinese who work on these projects got their positions through almost slave like work, and familiarizing themselves intimately, with which ever duties they’re expected to complete (even risking life and limb to finish their duties). Compared to them, we’re lazy, and incompetent. But, that’s our given right, and whomever expects to come here and build multi-billion dollar resorts, has to come to terms with this, and condescend to our brilliance, or gtfo! How can we benefit? Well, I’m trying to learn Chinese, even though I have Adhd, and i’m a natural born idiot, and slightly off balanced; Not to mention, a bad back, and failing health. But, one doesn’t have to do much to talk, and if I were to learn Chinese, I’d benefit greatly, because I love to talk.
Thanks for dropping in and commenting.
I’m always intrigued by statements like this:
“The common Bahamian will never benefit from such an enterprise”.
Why do you think the common Bahamian does not benefit from developments?
Sure Mr Rick, The Chinese will need up to three thousand Bahamians to provide goods (truck transporting) and labor (those working with, or will work with contractors and or construction companies), but the majority of Bahamians who knows absolutely nothing about construction, or trucking, won’t make a dime from this enterprise (except for the immediate families of the three thousand invovled). Even further, the unemployed Bahamians will make then when construction begins in earnest, as much as they’re making now, from the more than four thousand workers employed at Atlantis Resort and it’s constituents (big business and massive investments never ever equates to a trinkle down effect for everyone). I did the census, and was a Supervisor in the Englestion constituency, and I can say, a great many homes had unemployed people, and or barely paid workers—and almost always they’d complain of losing utilities (light and such). The only benefactors of the deal will be those who have businesses, or their own companies (supplying the material). The only way that Bahamians can make money, is being clever enough to learn chinese because, unlike the many chinese that works in relative slavery in the many chinese food places, and food stores, the chinese working on the resort, has to be granted rights equivalent to Bahamian workers. Thus, they may not stay in the group homes provided and may decide to have their own apartments. And they’ll probably want people who can drive them around on their days off; Bahamians who learn chinese could provide them a tour, and aide them in buying grocery and getting food. Or, these ones who learn the language can get jobs in banks, food stores, hospitals, clinics, local newspapers, or simply being a translator on 24hour call, that can be called upon for a fee. Of course, National Insurance Benefits with the influx of all those workers who will have to make contributions weekly. Realistically though, most of the unemployed, and those in low paying jobs, awaits the jobs Bahamar will probably provide when it’s all said and done, but, for the moment, they’ll have to continue as is, hustling.
Thanks expletive.
Glad to see you agree that the “common Bahamian” does benefit from foreign direct investment.