Opposition concerned about reports of low wages in SPARK programme
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is raising serious concerns following reports from the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica (IMAJ) that Jamaican workers employed under the Government’s $45 billion SPARK Programme are being paid below industry-standard wages, and that local contractors and suppliers are being sidelined in favour of foreign firms.
In a statement Friday, the PNP quoted IMAJ President Richard Mullings, who indicated that unskilled workers are reportedly being paid just $3,000 per day, well below the $4,841.28 daily wage established in the 2025–2027 Joint Industrial Council (JIC) Labour Management Agreement.
Opposition Spokesperson on Labour, Wavell Hinds, labelled the reports “deeply troubling” and condemned the Government’s alleged failure to uphold basic labour standards.
“A programme funded by Jamaican taxpayers must not become a space where Jamaican workers are underpaid and our contractors are excluded,” Hinds said. “We cannot allow foreign contractors to operate in a way that undermines our labour laws and economic goals.”
Opposition Spokesperson on Works, Richard Azan, added that the Government has a duty to protect local industry.
“The Government must come clean. We want to know the percentage of works subcontracted to local contractors, the full duration of the SPARK programme, and how much has been completed to date,” Azan stated. “There must be transparency. This cannot be another instance where local businesses are pushed aside while international companies reap the benefits.”
The Opposition is also rejecting Minister with responsibility for Works Robert Morgan’s statement that the ministry “cannot dictate” how CHEC (China Harbour Engineering Company) engages local contractors. “That is an abdication of responsibility,” said Hinds. “If public money is being used, then Jamaican laws and standards must be enforced.”
“We’re not just talking about wages,” Azan added. “We’re seeing a pattern where local suppliers are overlooked, and foreign imports take precedence. That is not how you build shared prosperity,” Azan said.
The Opposition says it stands with the IMAJ and is calling for urgent action to correct the imbalance.
