The Bahamian Contractorsﾒ Association (BCA) has a new slate of officers, a new Web siteﾠand a revamped agenda for a self-regulated, licensed construction industry, (with or without the passage of the much-anticipated Contractorsﾒ Bill,) plus a new and revitalized drive for membership.
The new Web site can be found at:ﾠ www.bahamiancontractors.org
At the recent BCA Annual General Meeting (AGM) those members offering for Council positions were voted in. ﾠRobert Myers, previously the Council secretary, is the new chairman, replacing Godfrey ﾑTippyﾒ Lightbourn, now a Council trustee.
Speaking on behalf of the Council, the new chairman addressed the membership and gave views on the BCAﾒs current overall position. ﾠHe outlined the associationﾒs objectives, future prospects and detailed an action plan to move the association forward. The BCA, he said, would move ahead to create a strong self-regulated, exemplary licensed body of contractors.
ﾓFirst and foremost we intend to self regulate and license, contractors within the BCA membership. We intend on creating a strong licensed body of contractors that will lead by example and significantly raise standards in the industry. To that end, strong emphasis will be placed on education and training and on ethics, business and accounting.ﾔ He said that new committees would be formed to facilitate the objectives.
Among them will be a Grades and Standards Committee to establish curriculum with learning institutions and other licensing boards and to set industry trade grades and standards.
ﾓThis sector requires an intricate mix of changes to our BCA constitution, the formation of subcommittees as various trade sectors come on line, the cooperation and partnership with academic institutions and possibly other construction licensing boards to create curriculums and exams, the establishment of rules, regulations, apprenticeship, follow up credits and Iﾒm sure some unforeseen matters. Much of this information exists in the proposed Bill before the Government and may be modified and adopted as required.ﾔ
Robert Myers then talked about the importance of membership and the role of industry and membership relations to the success of a membership drive. ﾓA solid, incentive-driven membership drive is critical if we are to attract the membership we want – good and qualified contractors from all our industry related trades in The Bahamas.ﾔ ﾠHe said that it was critical to the growth of the association to stay in touch, to inform members of all progress in order to gain their confidence and support. A website and newsletter were being planned to facilitate a flow of information to help in this regard.
ﾓThe men and women of our industry need to know on an ongoing basis, that we are serious in our endeavours to upgrade the industry, that we believe this is a national effort with international implications.ﾔ ﾠMr. Myers said that ultimately the industry wanted to be perceived as a part of an economic solution to growing the countryﾒs wealth and generational opportunities for its people. ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ
ﾓOur industry should be one of the reasons foreign investors choose The Bahamas. And we will strive to make that happen by the development of strong and well regulated, licensed contractors and trades,ﾔ said the new chairman.
The BCA was formed some forty years ago and chronicles a history very much reflective of the government policy of the day. ﾠIts core modern-day mission is to be the regulatory body for their industry, maintaining the criteria set out by the proposed Contractorsﾒ Bill for industry participants to acquire and keep a trade or contractorsﾒ license. Through seminars, workshops, courses and exams, set standards of service and a code of ethics, the BCA seeks to upgrade its members. ﾠThe objective is to upgrade from within the membership.
