Kaieteur News Reports
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has stated that local truckers have been assured that foreign companies must not use duty-free trucks to take away their work, particularly in the quarry sector.
During his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo addressed concerns raised by truck drivers who recently staged a two-day protest at Soesdyke Junction, East Bank Demerara (EBD). The drivers alleged that foreign companies were monopolizing the trucking business in Guyana, leaving locals without opportunities.
Jagdeo emphasized, “No Chinese truck that gets duty-free, or any truck for that matter, must be transporting for quarries.” He mentioned plans to gather data on local trucking capacity to consider laws similar to the local content law in the oil and gas sector, ensuring that companies hire Guyanese truckers.
The meeting followed protests in Linden and other regions where drivers expressed frustration over foreign companies allegedly taking jobs from locals. Jagdeo clarified that only a small portion of infrastructure work has been awarded to Chinese contractors, insisting that most projects are being completed by Guyanese.
He noted, “For the upgrade of the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, the contract was awarded to Guyanese and Trinidadian companies.” Jagdeo also stated that while some Chinese companies have contracts, local subcontractors are involved in delivering materials for these projects.
Additionally, he refuted claims that Chinese nationals own sand pits and quarries in the country, asserting that all licenses have been issued to Guyanese, even if some pits are operated by Chinese workers.
Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill also addressed the truckers’ concerns, promising government intervention to ensure locals are not sidelined in accessing materials from Chinese-operated quarries. Despite these assurances, local truckers remain dissatisfied and are calling for stricter regulations on the number of trucks foreign companies can import.
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