The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Society of Engineers (BSE) president has voiced optimism that joining WTO will create a “level playing field” that protects local professionals and grows their “share of the pie”.

Quentin Knowles, in a recent interview with Tribune Business, said the nature of rules-based trading regimes such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meant the Government would find it harder to “relax” existing restrictions on foreign rivals entering The Bahamas and competing with qualified locals for work.

Suggesting that the entry of overseas engineers, architects and other professionals was often left to the “discretion” of government officials, who were often keen to remove perceived obstacles to multi-million dollar foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, he added that WTO may provide a mechanism to ensure all “play by the rules”.

With engineering and other Bahamian professions already “fairly liberalised”, Mr Knowles said the government’s plan to achieve full WTO membership by 2020 was unlikely to cause major disruption for his members and may even be beneficial.

“From our perspective I personally believe there won’t be an appreciable change,” he told this newspaper. “The fact there’ll be trade rules in place; it could benefit us. We don’t know what’s going to happen; we don’t have a crystal ball, but from my perspective it’s not going to disadvantage our sector if they [the WTO] accept our current offer.

“From what I understand, there hasn’t been any serious challenge to it. Right now, the offer for engineers and architects is what we have. There won’t be any change to the status quo unless there’s a challenge. From my perspective, and others may disagree, but some of the other people I’ve spoken to in the [BSE] leadership agree there will not be much of a change.”

Sensing opportunity, rather than threat, Mr Knowles added: “We’re hoping that when we accede to the WTO there will be increased trade and more opportunities for us.

“We, as local professionals, have to protect our industry and make sure the laws that govern our profession are properly enforced. In all the talks I’ve been in with WTO, the rules are enforced in documented agreements and everybody has to play by them.

“Right now, we don’t have that as much. If the foreign player wants to come to the country now, there are no trade rules,” the BSE chief continued. “In a lot of ways it’s left to the discretion of the powers that be.

“Sometimes, in an effort to attract an investor, ministers and people in power have the best intent in the world, and certain rules are relaxed so as to be seen as not putting up roadblocks to foreign direct investment. But, once the regime is in place, investors can refer to the documents and see what the rules are. It’s not left to the discretion of someone in power to relax the rules.

“It gives us, the local professionals, something we can go back to and say: ‘We have these rules; you have to play by them’. When they go to attract these investor and relax the rules, it’s not a level playing field. That really could be detrimental to our profession. We see it, and it happens all the time.

“They want to bring the money here and hundreds of jobs, but at times it doesn’t benefit all. I’m hoping acceding to the WTO helps in that regard.”

Mr Knowles said foreign engineers coming to do work in The Bahamas had to identify a local engineer to sponsor their licence application to the Professional Engineers Board (PEB), the sector’s self-regulatory body. The application is approved if the person is qualified, and if the skills required are not available in The Bahamas.

“Those are the criteria,” he told Tribune Business. “We’re in The Bahamas, have great laws on the books, but how many are followed effectively? We’re going to find out with these trade agreements, and demand these laws are implemented effectively otherwise locals will be hurt.

“The onus is on all local professionals - engineers, architects and whoever else - to hold the Government and the powers that be to account. We need to protect our profession and be understood, and say we’re here and want a piece of the pie also.”