The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The BAHAMIAN Contractors Association's (BCA) president yesterday accused the government of effectively assuming the role of the industry's self-regulatory Board in threatening to "blacklist" companies over incomplete work.

Leonard Sands hit out after Dr Hubert Minnis told Parliament on Monday that contractors who received money to work on government homes in Spring City, Abaco, but never completed the work, will be blacklisted by the Ministry of Public Works and their names given to the Ministry of Legal Affairs in a bid to reclaim those funds. The prime minister alleged that some contractors received as much as $100,000 for work that was never completed.

But Mr Sands told Tribune Business: "That statement was a bit of disappointment for me because the BCA knows full well that with the enforcement of the Contractors Act, the Board would be allowed to do the same thing the prime minister is talking about.

"You could remove someone's license, suspend their license for a period, six months to a year maybe. The legislation which has been passed allowed for the effective management of the construction industry by the Construction Contractors Board so it would no longer require politicians or the prime minister to say what they will do and get involved with it."

Mr Sands added: "They need to allow the board to run the industry. The board is to be made up of industry professions. It takes all the headache from the government. If you have a situation like that occur the board would meet, review all the facts, render a decision and say based on these existing offenses against the Act your license is being suspended. You can't practice construction without a license."

The Contractors Act 2016 provides for the establishment of a Construction Contractors Board that will be responsible for registering and licensing contractors. The board's job is to carry out the objectives of the legislation and enforce the Act.

"The Act is passed, but until the Mister of Public Works appoints the Contractors Board, the Act cannot be enforced. We again would plead with the Minister of Public Works to please make haste and appoint the Contractors Board so that we could finally manage the construction industry for the best results of all Bahamians," Mr Sands said.