Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

[evanovitch]

MONTEGO BAY, St James -Scores of job seekers yesterday disrupted work at the construction site of Secrets Resort and Spa, being built at Freeport in Montego Bay, demanding work and threatening to lock down the venue.

<span style="font-weight: bold">The workers, who came from several inner-city communities across the parish, complained that tradesmen in the town were being denied employment while the developers brought in Asian workers.</span>

Councillor Michael Troupe of the Granville Division, where many of the angry job seekers came from, charged that nearly half of the 180 Asian workers on the site were common labourers, while a fraction of them were tradesmen and technical personnel.

&quot;For a site of this magnitude in St James, I don't see how we can't get some of the food,&quot; he said, adding that it was clear that residents of the parish could handle the work being done there by imported personnel.

But according to Michael McMorris, managing director of Seawind Key Investments, the developers, work on the site was being conducted by Chinese Shanghai Construction Company, the same contractors working at the Palmyra Resorts in Rose Hall Montego Bay.

&quot;We are not really clear on what happened,&quot; he said, noting that work on the site started some five months ago and the developers were surprised yesterday when angry job-seekers stormed the site and disrupted their operations.

Up to press time, the company was still trying to gather information on exactly what had happened but McMorris said work would resume today.

Secrets Resort and Spa is the newest overseas-based hotel developers to invest in the island. They are listed on their website as constructing two new hotels in Jamaica; Secrets St James and Secrets Wild Orchid.

Secrets is one of four brands including Zoetry Dreams and Sunscape managed by Amresorts. Along with McMorris, the directors of Seawind Key Investments are Javier Luque Garcia, Ignacio Gil Herraiz and Christopher Bovell.

[Sinco01]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si


Samething happened with the garment factories ..
but they closed down and left because they did not want to pay minimum wage ..

so ..

are these guys gonna lock up shop ??

doubtful ..

hope some of those tradesmen and casual workers get something ..

[Yuriatin]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hote

If hubby and I ever divorce, it’ll be over this issue.

We fight over it so bitterly, I can’t believe it hasn’t gotten physical yet.

He staunchly supports bringing in foreign workers for the job(s).

He only sees “getting the job done” – doing whatever it takes to do so.

He out &amp; out believes foreign workers – asians specifically, work harder and are less tief.

He sees no room at all for the issue or debate of <span style="font-weight: bold">WHY</span> we’re even bringing in foreign workers to <span style="font-weight: bold">begin</span> with - nor does he see any injustice behind it.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sinco01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Samething happened with the garment factories ..
but they closed down and left because they did not want to pay minimum wage ..

so ..

are these guys gonna lock up shop ??

doubtful ..

hope some of those tradesmen and casual workers get something ..
</div></div>

[Blackstar*]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

So how come all thes foreign workers get work permits?

[little pepper]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BlackStar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So how come all thes foreign workers get work permits? </div></div>

I wondered the same thing when I was living there in 2005 - trying to create a business and jobs (and got wiped out totally in the hurricane season, but that's another story).

I understood the legalities re foreign workers - and heard lots of local stories about thiefs, laziness etc etc. Aside from that though, what happened to giving locals a chance? God, there are tiefs and lazy bodies everywhere, in every culture.

I did wonder though, this whole thing with international trade - if poorer countries trading with other poorer countries (like eg China &amp; Caribbean) meant the Caribbean had to bend over re a lot of issues. There was also trouble in Grenada re Asian workers building that sports stadium or whatever it was, so I wondered.

Didn't get any answers though, just made my own decisions.

[evanovitch]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

u eva notice how is di worker always described as cheap an lazy...in every generation of employer/employee relations in Ja , dis always seem to be the cry from di employers...neva dat dem is tief an lazy...tief in whe dem try get people fi wuk wid, tief in underpaying people, tief in giving dem more dan a reasonable day's amount of work fi di pay dem already a undapay and the list goes on...an mi no even reach how dem di employrs lazy an how dem is lazy

[barosa]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hote

Originally posted by Yuri
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">He only sees “getting the job done” – doing whatever it takes to do so.

He out &amp; out believes foreign workers – asians specifically, work harder and are less tief.</div></div>

Yuri, I can understand the feelings or emotions on both sides of this easy. As one who has had some experience in Ja with dealing with workers who were mostly unskilled labourers, extra dilligence was often required to get the required output from some of them. It doesn't matter whether the employer is local or foreign, it's a cultural thing. ~ OTH, the Asian workers are like the &quot;coolies&quot; the Brits imported after the end of Slavery; they are so glad to be in Jamaica they will work their &quot;rear-ends&quot; off for peanuts.

From the way it appears foreign Construction companies seems to be under no obligation to use local workers since they are able to bring them in under contracts to do a project. It's up to our government to insist that a percentage of those jobs be reserved for our locals... So Yuri, go easy with hubby, I see where he is comming from.
_____________________________

Boy! Aren't we living in interesting times?

[lonewolf]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

Same lame excuses used in the US to hire Mexican workers.
It's BS. They should use Jamaican labor. Run thier Asian butts out of town on a rail!

[evanovitch]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

also a lot of the Asian workers r not paid ...dem an di Indians r brought ovah as literal slaves...

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lonrwolf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Same lame excuses used in the US to hire Mexican workers.
It's BS. They should use Jamaican labor. Run thier Asian butts out of town on a rail! </div></div>Run the Asians's? no!!
It is the politicians that pass laws that allow that to happen that should be kicked out in into outer space.

They are a bunch of plantation slaves, that are running the country in behalf of everybody that opposes the citizens.

Cny country that make it difficult for citizens to own guns, effectively creates powerless slaves. The government have all the political power, since they controll all the means suppress the people.
I can understand when the majoroity of the population was illiterate, but not today.
the pr0blem is that those who gor instructuin and sertified in the school system, still does not have an education..
Since symptom of an education is changed behavior, and there is no perceptable change of behavior comming from the trained. The pbvious truth is that They have training ,but still lack an education.

[Yuriatin]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hote

Barosa - mia tell yuh semmi luv imm like cook food but mi juss <span style="font-style: italic">cyaaaah</span> geem ah bligh pan dah one yah.

Put <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">aside</span></span> the question of who werk mo hard ar who more teef dan who – put that aside for a second ...

We must attention the issue of <span style="font-weight: bold">WHY</span> we’re bringing in foreign workers to do the job that well able bodied Jamaicans can do. He wont hear of it though and that to me is ridiculous. He can <span style="font-weight: bold">only</span> see a job needing to be done and see nothing wrong with hiring whomever can do it the best and the least expensive and with the least amount of drama for the employer.

<span style="font-weight: bold">WHY</span> can’t Kevin get to the work site on time – no taxi in the district / not enuff taxi fare if there is / must travel too far from Trelawny to Port Maria for the job ...

<span style="font-weight: bold">WHY </span>can’t Kevin find the money for the fare – must choose between sending kids to school, pay lite bill and traveling to work ...

<span style="font-weight: bold">WHY </span>can’t Kevin read tuh blerneet - cho - affi av smaddi show imm weffi put so ah so everytime cah imm cyah read di direction dem ...

<span style="font-weight: bold">WHY </span>Kevin muss gi summuch strickin’ chubble – block road, strike; dem ting deh. Cah yuh naw pay imm nothin! Ah wha likle pay imm get cyah do nothin!

The list goes on and on, nuh true ..

And so yes – it might look easier to bring in Pradneeth from where ever naught to do the work.

But it nuh right!

Why not address the issues that Kevin is having?

We going to pretend they don’t exist?

<span style="font-weight: bold">That’s</span> why I can’t go easy on hubby. We’re too damn short sighted in JA.

<span style="font-style: italic">(yes mi no seh we short sight ah farrin too but oonu no wammie mean - cho)</span>


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: barosa</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Originally posted by Yuri
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">He only sees “getting the job done” – doing whatever it takes to do so.

He out &amp; out believes foreign workers – asians specifically, work harder and are less tief.</div></div>

Yuri, I can understand the feelings or emotions on both sides of this easy. As one who has had some experience in Ja with dealing with workers who were mostly unskilled labourers, extra dilligence was often required to get the required output from some of them. It doesn't matter whether the employer is local or foreign, it's a cultural thing. ~ OTH, the Asian workers are like the &quot;coolies&quot; the Brits imported after the end of Slavery; they are so glad to be in Jamaica they will work their &quot;rear-ends&quot; off for peanuts.

From the way it appears foreign Construction companies seems to be under no obligation to use local workers since they are able to bring them in under contracts to do a project. It's up to our government to insist that a percentage of those jobs be reserved for our locals... So Yuri, go easy with hubby, I see where he is comming from.
_____________________________

Boy! Aren't we living in interesting times? </div></div>

[barosa]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hote

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Yuri_</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Barosa - mia tell yuh semmi luv imm like cook food but mi juss <span style="font-style: italic">cyaaaah</span> geem ah bligh pan dah one yah.

Put <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">aside</span></span> the question of who werk mo hard ar who more teef dan who – put that aside for a second ...

We must attention the issue of <span style="font-weight: bold">WHY</span> we’re bringing in foreign workers to do the job that well able bodied Jamaicans can do. He wont hear of it though and that to me is ridiculous. He can <span style="font-weight: bold">only</span> see a job needing to be done and see nothing wrong with hiring whomever can do it the best and the least expensive and with the least amount of drama for the employer.

<span style="font-weight: bold">WHY</span> can’t Kevin get to the work site on time – no taxi in the district / not enuff taxi fare if there is / must travel too far from Trelawny to Port Maria for the job ...

<span style="font-weight: bold">WHY </span>can’t Kevin find the money for the fare – must choose between sending kids to school, pay lite bill and traveling to work ...

<span style="font-weight: bold">WHY </span>can’t Kevin read tuh blerneet - cho - affi av smaddi show imm weffi put so ah so everytime cah imm cyah read di direction dem ...

<span style="font-weight: bold">WHY </span>Kevin muss gi summuch strickin’ chubble – block road, strike; dem ting deh. Cah yuh naw pay imm nothin! Ah wha likle pay imm get cyah do nothin!

The list goes on and on, nuh true ..

And so yes – it might look easier to bring in Pradneeth from where ever naught to do the work.

But it nuh right!

Why not address the issues that Kevin is having?

We going to pretend they don’t exist?

<span style="font-weight: bold">That’s</span> why I can’t go easy on hubby. We’re too damn short sighted in JA.

<span style="font-style: italic">(yes mi no seh we short sight ah farrin too but oonu no wammie mean - cho)</span></div></div>
Yuri, What can I say? ~ <span style="font-weight: bold">it's a good ting you LOVE yu hubby the way you do, or else im wud pay fi &quot;roast and bwile&quot;. He is a lucky man...</span> ~ Yes it's true that Kevin and by extension, others like him are getting a raw deal in order to survive. You've asked a lot of WHY's but as you know, there are no easy and acceptable answers to them. we have to ask ourselves a more profound question: why is this situation so pervasive throughout Jamaica? I will attempt to answer it by saying, it's because of our socio-economic system which we inherited from our Colonial masters. It would be nice if our politicians/govt would do right by all the &quot;Kevins&quot; but we all know that's not likely to happen in a hurry. We can only hope that with good basic education, adequate training and acquiring of skills that are in demand, the future would-be &quot;Kevins&quot; will be fewer because most will be employed...
____________________________

Boy! Aren't we living in interesting times?

[lonewolf]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">also a lot of the Asian workers r not paid ...dem an di Indians r brought ovah as literal slaves... </div></div>

Really? I did not know this....That would make sense. Cheap labor for the ruling elite.

On a related note. Jamaica is losing its identity with the building of the Secrets and the RIU resorts. I hate these mega hotel chains.

I prefer the adults only older all-inclusive hotels that have less then 200 rooms. No one does this better then Jamaica. This is what keeps me coming back year after year. It's a nice feeling to arrive at the resort and have employees remember you from last year.
I say that from a tourist concept but, I do understand how many of you feel about the Issa's and the Butch Stewart's of Jamaica.
Who is the better employer? The Issa and Stewart group or the new hotel chains?....or is it a case of one being the lesser of the two evils?

[lonewolf]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Run the Asians's? no!!
It is the politicians that pass laws that allow that to happen that should be kicked out in into outer space </div></div>

Good point.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">They are a bunch of plantation slaves, that are running the country in behalf of everybody that opposes the citizens </div></div>

Hmmm....I think they are typical corrupt politicians not unlike what we have here in the US. They are getting their pockets lined with cash to look the other way.



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Cny country that make it difficult for citizens to own guns, effectively creates powerless slaves. The government have all the political power, since they controll all the means suppress the people. </div></div>

Holy crap Doc! I'm getting scared! You and I are in total agreement so far in this conversation.

The first thing Hitler did was take away the guns of the German citizens. A Government that fears and disarms it's citizens is a not a government. It is a totalitarian dictatorship.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> can understand when the majoroity of the population was illiterate, but not today.
the pr0blem is that those who gor instructuin and sertified in the school system, still does not have an education..
Since symptom of an education is changed behavior, and there is no perceptable change of behavior comming from the trained. The pbvious truth is that They have training ,but still lack an education </div></div>

Again, I can only speak as a tourist. I will not insult any ones intelligence and try to speak otherwise but, the Jamaican workers that I see at the resorts that I stay are very smart hard workers.
Most of my education on Jamaican issues I have learned on this site and in discussion(late night chat)with the employees at the resorts.

[barosa]

Re: Job seekers protest use of Asian workers at Secrets hotel si

Originally posted Lonrwolf:
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A Government that fears and disarms it's citizens is a not a government. It is a totalitarian dictatorship.</div></div>

Lonrwolf, ~ <span style="font-weight: bold">It's not my intention to support a change of topic,</span> but I couldn't resist the temptation to respond... With that said, <span style="font-weight: bold">Are you telling us that the UK is not a government but a totalitarian DICTATORSHIP</span>... The last time I checked, it was still one of the most democratic nation on the planet! ~ Btw, the British people have no reason to FEAR their government, hence there is no need to Arm themselves. I guess the NRA has not been effective there as in some other countries...
_____________________________

Boy! Aren't we living in interesting times?