Letter of the Day | Take strict action against corrupt contractors

THE EDITOR, Madam:

A few years ago, I wrote a letter to the editor urging the government to not let local contractors build our proposed new parliament. In the letter I highlighted the numerous shortcomings of people in our local construction industry. Recently, Dr. Horace Chang revealed that local contractors who are hired to repair police stations do such poor-quality jobs. He noted that the contractors will do a bad job on a project once it is contracted by government.

Not long after that revelation a newspaper report stated that residents in Yallahs want local contractors to be removed from the road work taking place in their area. They observed that the section of the work that is being undertaken by the Chinese is proceeding apace and is being done properly. Meanwhile, they noted the poor workmanship of our local contractors and the inordinate delay in getting the job done.

Similarly, in May, Minister Everald Warmington expressed disappointment with the work being done on the Portland leg of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project by local contractors.

Additionally, it was reported that contractors have undertaken work in the Jack’s Hill area without necessary approvals. Apparently their activities led to the collapse of a section of the hillside, making the roads impassable by the spillage of debris and by vehicles parked at these sites, including large trailers.

In my last letter I wrote about the behaviour of local contractors, their history of work delays, poor workmanship and cost overrun in relation to public developments, including roadworks. I also spoke to the agony that many private citizens like myself face when we purchase homes constructed by local developers.

My question to the relevant authorities is: What are you doing to safeguard the nation from these corrupt, inefficient vagabonds? Their wanton disregard for professional standard is being facilitated by a lack of accountability. As they get away with inordinate waste, the country is unusable or unsafe buildings.

I have always contended that crime, disorder and chaos abound because there is little or no consequences for wrongdoing. Why can’t we deny contracts to persons who perform poorly on a previous project? Why do we continue to facilitate mediocrity? These unpatriotic contractors should be stopped or they will continue to rape their own country of its scarce resources. Contractors who are guilty of destroying this country should be held to account. On the other hand, the government must ensure that they manage Jamaica’s affairs in such a way that there is order, justice and a maintenance of the rule of law.

I also believe that the media are contributing to the problem by failing to expose, not only the infractions, but also the culprits. One tend not to hear the names of delinquent contractors or other corrupt operatives. We need to expose the corrupt operatives, and, they should not be given free rein by the authorities to ply their trade.

JEAN-ANN BARTLEY