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Early warnings
New Zealand had initially planned to bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, but decided against it because the projected US$420 million loss the country would incur was too much for the population to absorb. A second bid for the southern city of Christchurch was also shelved.
Even after tourism revenues had been included, the loss to the New Zealand economy would be too great a burden for the taxpayer to bear, prime minister John Key was quoted as saying. Trinidad and Tobago also considered bidding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but eventually decided against it on financial grounds.
Two current bids for the 2018 Games are on the table: Australia’s Gold Coast and the Sri Lankan city of Hambantota.
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Worker exploitation
As well as a comprehensive catalogue of claimed corruption, the Commonwealth Games have come under fire for alleged abuses of human rights relating to its labour force.
A study by Building and Woodworkers International estimated that 300,000 workers would be needed in Delhi over a three year period, while another study claimed that 450,000 contract daily wage workers would be required.
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Unskilled workers earn between $1.80 - $2 a day while skilled workers earn $2.50 - $2.80 instead of the $3.40 they’re legally entitled to. Around 5% of the workforce are women, and they are paid even less than the men.
Labourers work a seven-day week with no time off and are paid at normal rates. On top of that, workers are not given safety equipment (helmets, shoes) and even if they are handed out, wages are docked for the gear – which is illegal, according to Indian law.
There have been dozens of worker deaths on work sites since preparations began. Officially, 49 workers have died while working on Games venues, though some say that figure is much higher.
Most labourers live in tents at the construction sites because labour camp conditions are appalling. At one site, six to eight labourers share a 10ft square brick hut with a tin and asbestos roof. There is no power, ventilation or space to cook.
There are no toilets and, at one site, an open tank with partition serves as the bathroom for men and women.
In March 2008 more than 100 workers died of meningitis linked to the unhygienic living conditions, while other estimates put the deaths of workers through poor hygiene at a further 70. The region also suffered a recent outbreak of dengue fever.
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FEATURED COMMENT
This is an outrageous situation. Commonwealth funding plays a big part in the development of the Games in each country.