Brazil and a poor construction have lessons for all

Aug 07, 2016 Features / Columnists, My Column

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The Summer Olympics have begun in neighbouring Brazil. The opening ceremony was spectacular. Indeed it seems as if every host country tries very hard to outdo the other. Beijing put on a show that many thought could not be surpassed and in some aspects this is the case. But Brazil was also spectacular.
This is a country with political problems. People have taken to the streets to protest, among other things, some economic problems. This was something that I could not understand, especially since the money spent to prepare the venues would have seen the creation of thousands of jobs.
It was not easy for the hosts. The world heard about Zika, a mosquito-borne disease that is still being investigated. The spread of this disease actually had television commentators and some female athletes declining to visit the country.
Environmentalists found fault with the waterways, talking about excess sewage and calling on Brazil to clean up. It was reminiscent of China, where the environmentalists spoke about the air quality that could have threatened the health of the athletes. In the end there were no problems and the games proceeded without problems.
In Brazil, there were the problems with the stadiums (stadia). There were strikes by workers to the extent that just a few months ago there were those who were calling for the Olympics to be moved from Brazil. As could be expected the United States put up its hand to be the hosts, given that it has the facilities.
There is something for decency. Most of the countries took Brazil for what it was and opted to go there for the Olympics, no matter what. And as is always the case, once things got started they proceed as though nothing has happened.
This made me recall Guyana’s hosting of the recent jubilee celebrations. There were those who initially claimed that Guyana was investing too much into the hosting of the jubilee. The sum was a mere US$1.5 million, minuscule when one considers what small Barbados is spending on its 50th anniversary celebrations.
In the end the country benefited immensely. The amount of money that the visitors brought was a boost for the country. Taxis, hotels, vendors, artists, just about everyone made money. There was no more talk about government spending after that.
I can imagine the economic windfall for Brazil. No one is talking about the visitors, but the numbers are large. People are talking about the crime; security is at its peak. Over the next two weeks Brazil will be talked about as a showpiece.
And this brings me to some of the things that happened in this country during the tenure of the last administration. Suddenly the focus is on those contractors who undertook major projects and failed to deliver.
The talking point now is the Kato Secondary School, the contract for which was awarded to Kares Engineering. A few years ago some of us questioned the cost. We were told that the contractor needed to transport building material from the coast. Minister Priya Manickchand defended the cost and accused the press of trying to make much ado about nothing.
Today, we realize that our fears were justified. We now discover that the construction is so flawed that the building is unsafe. The cement mix is so substandard that some contend that the building is slightly stronger than if it were made of paper.
The wooden floor is so warped that one wondered who could do such an unprofessional job. It turned out that the contractor used ‘green’ wood which when contracted after some of the moisture has been extracted, distorts the smooth finish.
Instead of using sand for the concrete mix, we hear that the contractor used clay. And to think that the Inter-American Development Bank actually provided the funding. That is money that the country has to repay for nothing.
We did talk about penalizing contractors, but we were told that there are systems in place to protect the taxpayer. It seems as if this is not the case. Contractors who delivered shoddy work continued to be awarded contracts. It must have been a case of the government providing funding for ‘the boys.’
So we have a school that was to have provided for those children who are ready to pursue secondary education being closed to these children, and we do not know how that would impact their future. We hear that the previous government wanted this to be an elections project. “Finish it at all cost.” The result is the substandard work that will cost the taxpayer.
As my employer noted, this project alone has prevented some people from getting the needed salary increase.
In China I have known the government to actually jail those who provide substandard work. I would like to see similar action and I expect to hear claims of witch-hunt. As a child, my mother always pushed me to be the best I could, but above all, she insisted that whatever I do should be to the best of my ability.
Wiping the stairs or sweeping the yard were good lessons. I wanted to play with my friends; my mother wanted me to do chores so I would try to rush through. I found out that it took longer to get out and play if I did not do the best I could.
Perhaps these contractors did not have the same experience, so they have no pride in what they do. It is time they be made to learn.

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