CHEC Stages Inaugural Skills Competition

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Limited staged its inaugural skilled workers’ competition on Friday (Dec. 14) geared at enhancing team spirit between locals and their Chinese counterparts and inculcating excellence as an integral part of the company’s corporate social responsibility programme.

Dubbed the ‘CHEC me, I can –Skills Competition’ it also aimed to motivate workers to high levels of production and productivity and to recognise their contribution to the successful execution of local projects.

It was held in association with the Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP) administered by the National Work Agency (NWA), at the Kingston Logistics Park site off the Port Kingston Causeway.

A total of 21 local artisans participated in the competition, which lasted nearly an hour and included three categories of workers—steel, masonry and electrical welders, which represent the key elements of infrastructure projects being undertaken.

The competition provided a practical demonstration of skills within reasonable time constraints.

NWA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), E.G. Hunter, in a JIS News interview, said the participation of local artisans in the competition augurs well for the development of talent and the transfer of knowledge within Jamaica’s construction industry.

“The (local) workers seem to be enthused. The skill level is very high and that manifests (itself) in the kind of work that is being done through CHEC and we are happy for that,” he said.

Mr. Hunter added that this partnership between CHEC and Jamaica, is one that the island can replicate with other countries that have interest in Jamaica, which will ultimately benefit the citizens and the economy.

“As we go down the road with China Harbour and any (other) construction company from any destination, we would like to see a healthy partnership between the visitor and the local personnel. I think the combination of Jamaican and foreign expertise can only result in positive action and outcomes,” he noted.

In her remarks, Vice President of CHEC Americas, Dr. Zhimin Hu said that the competition is in support of the achievement of a number of important goals.

“It will contribute to the successful completion of the company’s annual mission objectives (and) aid in our promotion of high-quality industry standards,” she noted.

Dr. Hu is hopeful that the event will “catch a fire” in the not too distant future and “grow beyond individual construction projects and become inter-construction projects in which workers of one project team competes with workers from another team”.

For his part, China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Tian Qi, said with approximately 16 Chinese companies operating in Jamaica, China is the largest investor with US$3 billion in investments.

He noted that the companies have provided jobs for many Jamaicans.

Winner in the steel category and favourite among the crowd and his peers, Ramone Saunders, who has been with CHEC for the last six months, welcomed the competition as a conduit to demonstrate his skills and prowess.