The Tribune

Dear Editor,

I am writing to draw attention to a concerning issue that has persisted since 2016.

Despite the legislation enacted to establish a licensing system for contractors in The Bahamas, there are currently no licensed contractors operating within the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. This lapse not only undermines the integrity of the construction industry but also raises serious concerns about safety, quality and accountability in our building practices.

The absence of licensed contractors leaves the public vulnerable to unqualified or unscrupulous operators who may put profits above standards, risking the safety of residents and the durability of their properties. 

It also hampers efforts to regulate and elevate industry standards, ultimately affecting the reputation of our nation’s development projects. It is imperative that authorities prioritize the enforcement of this legislation and ensure that a licensing system is properly implemented and maintained. This will bring transparency, promote professionalism and protect the interests of all Bahamians.

What I find most alarming is the length of time this administration has taken to appoint the Board that is required under the law to licence contractors. I am no attorney, and nor do I claim to be. 

However, I am astonished by the complicity of successive governments in the face of this much needed policing. 

I am alarmed by the cavalier tone of the conversations that surround this national topic. 

Every day millions of dollars on construction activity are conducted in The Bahamas. Every day millions of dollars of construction activity leave The Bahamas because of the lack of regulation and registration of contractors in the construction industry.

I find it incredible that this administration, led by the previous sponsor of the legislation, has failed to act also. It is beyond my comprehension that the very piece of legislation that Philip Davis KC brought to Parliament more than nine years ago was not the very first thing he would have completed in his tenure as the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

We are now in the final months of his first term in office as Prime Minister. One that has achieved some notable successes for other industries. However, the construction industry, which is the third pillar of the economy, is yet to be ushered into the 21stcentury.

In our last meeting with the Prime Minister, he lamented that he had to first settle the economy and bring some level of normalcy to the country post COVID-19 pandemic. We (the Bahamian Contractors Association) can accept that. 

However, what we have been saying is the turnaround of the economy could have been even faster if nearly $1bn worth of projects did not walk out the door because the construction sector is unregulated. To this end, we have lost hundreds, possibly thousands, of jobs and countless opportunities for contractors in The Bahamas.

Let me say that I stand ten toes down when I state time is drawing near for the belief that this legislation is important to this administration. We have waited and waited, and we have not seen actions that align with the words spoken to us regarding this issue. As we approach the end of another administration’s five-year term in office, I wonder about the hundreds of contractors, thousands of construction workers and thousands of homeowners that have been affected by the lack of regulation of the construction industry.

I am reminded that the Prime Minister, at the time, called the legislation a “public protection Act”. I do not understand, if this is how he felt about it then, why leave the public unprotected for nearly five years?

Today, the Bahamian Contractors Association advocates for swift action to finally make good on the intent of the legislation and uphold the integrity of our construction industry. We urge the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas to make good on his promise to appoint the Construction Contractors Board. 

Yours sincerely,

Leonard Sands BSc., CIPM, ACIArb.

President

Bahamian Contractors Association