Contractors’ association floated
A week after being challenged by President Irfaan Ali to up their performance, some contractors are mulling the formation of an association to develop their skillset and resources.
GAICO Construction Incorporated Chief Executive Officer, Komal Singh, who is spearheading the initiative, told Stabroek News that a meeting is planned for tomorrow to determine whether contractors are in favour of the proposed ‘Guyana Construction Association.’
He noted that while they are seeking to establish the organisation, the meeting will determine how they move forward.
According to him, most of the contractors who are established, whether small or large, are already members of different groups and so their opinions are important since it would not make sense to create an organisation with a mandate that is redundant.
While not disclosing details on the proposed formation of the organisation, he added that contractors have been charged by President Ali to revise their business model and make adjustments if they want to compete for projects in Guyana’s development.
A source told Stabroek News that it has been proposed that the organisation be created to assist small, medium and largescale contractors.
The organisation aims to function full time and will carry a membership fee of $75,000, $100,000 and $125,000 for small, medium and large-scale operators, respectively.
During his address on Monday last, The President told contractors that they must adapt if they want to remain competitive in the sector.
At a meeting, held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Ali stated that those working on government projects must expand their human resource capacity and machinery to effectively meet their contractual obligations. He also said that contractors must be willing to invest in night work in order to get the job done.
“If you are playing at a certain level, you have to be willing to make the investment to allow you to be competitive and efficient at that level. This is where the country is heading. You have to build your night capacity; otherwise, you will fail,” Ali said as he discussed his government’s expectations regarding the execution of the projects and the quality of work.
The Head of State contended that contractors must work to create a culture and workforce that will deliver quality work on par with first world construction standards.