By VENUS HONORE-GOPIE Tuesday, October 20 2009

BEIJING LIUJIAN Construction Corporation TT Limited (BLCC) has sent in 70 of their employees’ work permits for cancellation at the Ministry of National Security.

Newsday learnt from a reliable source that the Ministry of National Security received the additional work permits for cancellation last week, while 32 work permits previously sent to the ministry have already been cancelled. The Chinese nationals can now leave the country.

According to the source some of the Chinese nationals refuse to leave the country while arrangements were being put in place to send them back to China, but none so far has left the country.

Last week Tuesday 70 Chinese labourers boycotted work at the Aranjuez Government Secondary and Five Rivers Government Secondary Schools were arrested outside the Chinese Embassy in Port-of-Spain.

The workers took up protest action by walking from Ramsaran Trace, Bejucal Road, Cunupia where they are housed, to the Uriah Butler Highway after complaining of more than two months wages owed to them, and inhumane conditions in which they live.

According to the source, while the additional 70 work permits have been sent for cancellation, the company has already sent in applications for more work permits to recruit new employees.

The source indicated that Minister of National Security, Martin Joseph, and BLCC officials held discussions with staff at the Ministry to remain silent on the matter.

While the majority of workers remain at the camp about, only 20 workers have been working at the Five Rivers, Arouca site for the past week after the contractor requested a few days from the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL) so they could resolve their internal problems.

The contractor was hired by the EFCL to work at both school sites, and was responsible for completing construction work at the Tranquillity Government Primary School, which was handed over in a ceremony last week to the Minister of Education Esther Le Gendre.