BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – LOCAL truckers and heavy equipment operators represented by the National Association of Heavy Equipment Operators (NAHEO) have taken a united front demanding a greater cut from foreign companies doing work in the Federation.
The group, headed by five of the biggest names in the local trucking sector, B&B Backhoe and Trucking Service, Rock n Dirt Construction Ltd., ELCO Ltd., I&B Ltd. and St. Kitts Marine Works, represents almost 20 companies.
While individual companies may benefit sporadically from large-scale projects, the general complaint by the local organization is that their share is not enough.
In a press conference yesterday (Mar. 8), the local truckers took a stand to declare they are capable of carrying out the jobs and demanded at least 85% of all work coming into the island.
“It is not because we are incapable, because there is absolutely no job or project involving heavy equipment that has been undertaken in this Federation over the past five years or more that has been beyond our capabilities. Yet, during that period, hundreds of millions of dollars in work has been contracted out to foreign operators,” said Sandra Tweed of ELCO Ltd.
“This is disrespectful and damaging to us and to our nation. We are not prepared to put up with it or anything like it any more. At this rate, if a new approach is not adopted by our Government immediately, we and other local entrepreneurs will collapse and the economic and social consequences will be dire,” she added.
In times of natural disaster, according to Tweed, local truckers sacrifice much and offer their free services to return the isles to a normal state. However, she complained that the nation is “bombarded by firms from those territories and even by firms from beyond CARICOM” who attempt to “embed themselves in toe-to-toe, day-to-day competition with us and other local businesses”.
According to NAHEO, no talk of CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) would appease them, as they noted the difficulty in attempting to get work in neighbouring CARICOM states.
“We now therefore call upon Government and all citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis to review all existing contracts, and to take steps to protect and preserve the patrimony of our nation,” a press release issued by the organization stated.
NAHEO made it clear that they would take any measure necessary to “protect, preserve and enhance our investments in this, the land of our citizenship, and to protect and preserve the honour of our nation and its people”.
Some of the equipment companies argued that Caribbean Development Bank contracts are being awarded to foreign companies and local truckers subsequently are unable to meet their loan requirements because not enough work is being provided.
Officials of the organization say that they have received some support from government. A meeting with the St. Kitts Investment Promotion Agency is expected to lead investors in NAHEO’s direction if they have plans to construct major development projects.
The next major construction project scheduled for St. Kitts is the Hurricane Lenny Phase II, a sea defence wall at Half Way Tree, and while the CDB contract has been awarded to a Trinidadian company, local truckers are eyeing the 85% mark as their cut of the deal.
