MORE THAN 300 companies listed as contractors with the Urban Development Commission (UDC), have been purged from the list mainly because of shoddy work and incorrect or “not in service” telephone numbers. The action was taken after the UDC board ordered MORE THAN 300 COMPANIES listed as contractors with the Urban Development Commission (UDC), have been purged from the list mainly because of shoddy work and incorrect or “not in service” telephone numbers.
Source: Nation News
Recently Barbadians witnessed the sanitizing of a “list” of 300 companies which were previously approved by government to benefit from building contracts. BU is heartened that Sir Henry Forde would have finally come to the realization that the UDC must make things more efficient. Barbadians have had many concerns over the years about goings-ons at the UDC. Many examples in the media and by word of mouth are well documented. Some of the 300 hundred companies which we know of lead us to conclude that that the government with an election on the horizon had no choice but “throw-out some dirty water to avoid smelling stink down the road”.
Why would the UDC have 506 contractors on a list?
What we know is that many individuals, note we did not say Barbadians, have used their relationships with the UDC over the years to benefit financially in a very significant way. We don’t buy the reason laid in the article that the list is being purged “because of shoddy work and incorrect or “not in service” telephone numbers” it is not the only reason! BU like many Barbadians know of people who have day jobs but have established companies on the side to trap work from the UDC and several other
government departments. The irony is that many of the “hobby” construction companies are staffed by the large Guyanese and other immigrant population which is currently overwhelming the island. Another characteristic of note is that many of these fast food construction companies are owned by politicians and or their friends and relatives. It leads BU to speculated that there must be a lot of money and steal in the construction business.
Where are our standards?
It is unacceptable that the much vaunted building code which was drafted in the 90’s, to the best of our investigation, remains in draft. Although some responsible contractors adhere to the draft code, the construction industry generally is driven by greed and profit. The void of standards in the industry has led to the consequential shoddy work and the possibility that Barbados, a country in proximity to the hurricane zone, may have to pay dearly for its recalcitrance. In the USA all artisans and contractors have to be certified and registered. We visited a US website to get a feel of what was required to get a contractor’s license and was amazed at steps which had to be followed. The process is linked to not only ensuring that standards are complied with but there is a clear trail of accountability. In Barbados we are a long way away.
BU understands that government is driven to outsources and partnering with the private sector. We have no problem with this approach. The problem we have is the unwillingness to ensure that the framework within which the building sector must operate is inefficient and is set-up for misappropriation of taxpayers money and a suspect building stock.
Related Stories on BFP:
Fishy Business at Barbados Urban Development Commission
Changes At The Barbados Urban Development Commission…Or So The Rumours Go!
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