by Linda Straker
- In 2024 Salim Rahaman opined that Grenada should establish seasonal and temporary employment programme
- Private companies in collaboration with Grenada’s Embassy in Cuba are advertising vacancies
- Specific workers sought are qualified bricklayers or masons and carpenters
Several private construction companies in Grenada have turned to Cuba and Haiti to contract skilled workers, especially in the area of bricklaying and carpentry, as they come up with ways and means to complete construction projects.
In December 2024 Salim Rahaman, Business Sector representative in the Upper House, told the House that it’s his opinion that the time has come for Grenada to establish a seasonal and temporary employment programme for the construction and other industries where there is a shortage of labour.
The government has not formalised any agreement with the Cuban government for state-to-state contracting of skilled workers, but instead, private companies in collaboration with Grenada’s Embassy in Cuba are advertising the vacancies and assisting with conducting interviews for the jobs.
Earlier this week a Facebook post by Mario J Penton said that there are job vacancies in Grenada for Cubans. Claiming it’s an official announcement by the Grenada Embassy in Havana, the notice said the employment opportunity has attracted hundreds of interested candidates in the positions. The story has also been covered by the Havana Times.
Face-to-face interviews began on 18 September and are scheduled to be completed on 24 September. The specific workers that are being sought are qualified bricklayers or masons and carpenters. The notice said that the vacancies are as part of an international construction project lasting 12 months.
Once selected, a worker’s benefits will include:
- Accommodation and transportation covered
- Funded round-trip flights
- Work permits managed by the embassy
- Estimated salary is about US$200 a week
The 2024 Labour Report said that Caribbean nationals account for 206 applications for work permits. Cuba, according to the report, accounted for 46% of the total applications received from the region.
The report said that the greatest number of new applications were for jobs in the construction sector and the least were for employment in the agriculture sector. It’s understood that several construction companies in Grenada have been quietly employing Cubans to work in Grenada on commercial and industrial projects.
With a growth rate of 10.7% in the construction sector, the 2024 Labour Report said that it is bolstered by public infrastructure projects, private sector investment, and Citizenship by Investment (CBI) initiatives.
You know, There wouldn’t be a ‘shortage of labour’ if GRENADIANS could get paid that money and have those benefits! USD$200 a week! Well yes oui! How are you all going to bridge the language barrier, hmm? On top of it all, you’ll now need translators too. All that expense because you just won’t hire Grenadians under those conditions. Smh.
I think if there were sufficient Grenadians willing and able to do the jobs available, there would be no interest in or need to import labour. There has been a great deficit in skilled construction labour, not just in Grenada but across the OECS, for quite a few years now. Even with training, our locals are reportedly either disinterested in the jobs, or are leaving Grenada to work in larger economies. Cuban construction workers are generally known to be committed workers, so it would make sense that they are one of the first external markets we tap into.
Also, USD$200/week equates to EC$108 per day. Many skilled workers make more than that locally.
Do we need to reduce the stigma against physical labour and encourage more locals to get into the trades? Absolutely. In the meantime however, the construction sector must be supplemented to avoid a standstill.