Huddled around a bare wooden dining table, a group of Chinese construction workers employed with Shanghai Construction Ltd hurriedly swallowed a meal of fried rice and char siu pork. Nearby, their co-workers beckoned for them to return to work quickly as they toiled tediously at the Performing Arts Academy in Port-of-Spain. The building is due to be handed over to the Government on November 9, in time for a gala cultural event that is due to take place at the start of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting next month. Empty food trays, stacks of flour, rice, noodles, an assortment of tea and gas tanks lined the corridor of the kitchen at their quarters on Frederick Street, which is located a stone’s throw away from the site of the Performing Arts Academy.

Clothing fluttered in the wind as workers ducked under the lines to get to and from their rooms. Situated on the top floor of the quarters are small rooms accommodating four men on two makeshift double-decker beds. They have been managing without luxuries like television and radio. Clothes were thrown on a line drawn from one end of the room to another. Boxes and bags were strewn across one room. Crammed along the corridor was one small bathroom and toilet which is maintained by the workers. The facility is one of many that is used by the 200 workers.

Protesting Chinese workers
The settings and surroundings at the Frederick Street compound of Shanghai Construction were completely different to what the media reported with regard to the inhumane conditions that Chinese workers in Cunupia alleged they were forced to live in by their employer Beijing Liujing Construction Corporation Ltd. Beijing Liujing Construction grabbed national attention on Tuesday when a group of workers were seen protesting along the Solomon Hochoy Highway.

Several media houses reported that the workers were facing inhumane conditions. Yesterday, broad smiles covered the faces of the Shanghai Construction workers when Sunday Guardian visited. “Nothing wrong. We are happy...we are happy,” remarked two Chinese workers, one of them Chun Yun, 19, who spoke on behalf of the group. Though faced with a language barrier, the men said they were quite satisfied with their living conditions.

Workers treated fairly
To substantiate their claims, they willingly toured the compound with a Guardian team and even took the journalists to Shanghai Construction Ltd managing director Michael Qing Zhang. Zhang said that his company was not taking advantage of workers. He admitted that while living conditions were not the best, his workers were comfortable and quite happy. “While we face some challenges I do not have a hotel. I am not saying there is no need for improvement but I treat my workers fairly. If they have to accept a bit of a lower standard of living to benefit their lives, I think it is all for a good sacrifice.” Zhang stayed cleared of commenting on the situation that sparked the protest, only saying: “There must be fairness on both sides.

If you work hard you must be paid. No one will ever hear that my workers are protesting for wages because Shanghai Construction was ranked in the top 50 by Engineering News as one of the largest companies and we intend to stay at the top.” Stating that a lot was invested in bringing the workers to T&T, Zhang said that all workers should be treated equitably. He said it costs approximately $26,000 to bring each worker here: “This does not include wages, accommodation and meals. I give my workers three square meals every day sometimes four when they work overtime. What I do not do is give them a variety of foods to choose from.” Some of the foods he said they enjoy include chicken, pork, fish and vegetarian dishes. Zhang said after the Performing Arts Academy is handed over to the Government they still have a lot more work to do.