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26th January 2012
Concern over Influx of Chinese Immigrants

President of the St .Lucia Manufacturers Association, Mrs. Paula Calderon, slpm,J.P. is concerned about the influx of Chinese persons into the region, their ability to purchase passports in some OECS countries and become a citizen of the OECS, and the negative impact that this is having on the business community.
Mrs. Calderon believes that the Heads of Government of the region are not considering the long term impact of this issue on their people. She said that we are trading with a country, which is unfair in its trading practices. The Chinese do not employ locals, maybe one person to act as a front, and the profits are returned to China. The incentives that are given by the Chinese government cannot be compared to what many business persons have to deal with when starting a business.
“Some manufacturing companies in the OECS have already lost millions of dollars due to the Chinese manufacture of the same product. It is impossible to compete with persons who have benefits from their home country which cannot be quantified. If the Heads of Governments want to invite the Chinese to invest in their country such investment should be in the manufacturing industry rather than retail businesses and further the type of manufacturing that permission might be given for, should be of the kind that does not already exist in our countries. Regulations should be put in place that would protect our people and such regulations must be established and published.
 
 

“In Dominica, in Roseau, every other retail store is run by the Chinese invested . In St. Lucia they are involved in the retail and small manufacturing business which was hitherto the province of local entrepreneurs. The question must be asked, and publically answered by our Governments, whether rather than importing competition (fair or unfair) we should rather not facilitate our people to purchase the Chinese products and sell these products ourselves rather than bringing the Chinese into our country to compete at the very lowest economic level with our own indigenous populations
“The issue of reciprocity must be faced. Can an OECS member purchase a Chinese passport and go to China and open a business?
“We must determine what investment we want non-OECS citizens to make in our countries. Surely, investment must be seen to be for our national good, rather than the facilitating of foreigners.
We need to look at foreign investments from an Economic point of View and not a political point of view.
“The Heads of Governments are therefore urged to consider this issue as an important one for the benefit of our people.”

Paula A. Calderon, slpm, J.P.
President

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