{"id":151285,"date":"2015-12-17T12:30:02","date_gmt":"2015-12-17T16:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=151285"},"modified":"2015-12-17T12:30:02","modified_gmt":"2015-12-17T16:30:02","slug":"is-the-government-of-dominica-confirming-its-attempts-to-side-line-local-professionals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/homepage\/features\/commentary\/is-the-government-of-dominica-confirming-its-attempts-to-side-line-local-professionals\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the Government of Dominica confirming its attempts to side-line local professionals?"},"content":{"rendered":"In an article posted by www.caribbean360.com on 3rd December 2015, the Hon. Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica is quoted as saying \u201cI\u2019ll be the first to say, as I\u2019ve said before, that we do not have the requisite expertise on the island to guide us in that direction therefore we are relying heavily on our partners all of whom have indicated their keen interest and intention to provide us with that level of support and guidance\u201d (http:\/\/www.caribbean360.com\/news\/dominica-loses-almost-all-its-gdp-due-to-climate-change-says-world-bank).\r\n\r\nThe remarks were apparently made following a Development Partners Conference in Dominica on 16th November 2015 to discuss post-Erika recovery efforts.\r\n\r\nThe Joint Consultative Committee on the Construction Sector (JCCCS), and its Constituent member associations, recognising that the built environment in Dominica suffered overwhelming damage from tropical storm Erika, felt obliged and committed that the local construction sector ought to serve the Dominican people with parallel contribution in the recovery process and therefore, offered its services to the Government and the people of Dominica on several occasions.\r\n\r\nOur letter of 7th October 2015 to the Prime Minister of Dominica is attached and is very instructive (See letter below).\r\n\r\nNeither the JCCCS, nor any its constituent members have received as much as an acknowledgement from any public sector body or individual.\r\n\r\nWhat is also instructive is that meetings with various ministries indicate that their senior officers and ministers appear to be unaware of any of our offers to assist in the recovery.\r\n\r\nCalling the Prime Minister\u2019s statement unfortunate may be a very naive approach by the JCCCS, and an utter betrayal of the Construction Sector, the interest of whom we pledge to represent. The fact is that the pronouncement by the Prime Minister is just possibly a confirmation of the ongoing attempt by the Prime Minister and his government to ignore the local Construction Sector and retard its growth.\r\n\r\nIt is more likely that the Prime Minister does not wish to be guided by local expertise in the construction sector rather than there being an absence of the requisite expertise. There has never been, since Erika, a request to furnish from any of our constituent members or the JCCCS itself, a list of experts. Neither has there been any, locally originating, public advertisement for expression of interest, or request for pre-qualification of experts or contractors for any recovery work. It is rather mystifying how the Prime Minister could have arrived at such a conclusion and make such a pronouncement.\r\n\r\nIt would be instructive for the Prime Minister to inform himself, and indeed the entire public sector, that Clause 10 (1) c and d of the Public Procurement and Contract Administration Act (no. 11 of 2012) provides for the development and maintenance of lists of service providers available to be engaged by the Public Sector. Had the Minister of Finance ensured that the Act was fully enforced with the requisite regulations then the Prime Minister would have been save from the embarrassment of such a statement. It is also instructive that the Engineering Professionals Act (no. 22 of 2002) at section 10 (f) also requires the publication in the Gazette of all Registered Engineers in current practice in the state.\r\n\r\nThe JCCCS would like to state clearly that there is a significant cadre of local experts who can provide much of the services required to help in the post-Erika recovery effort. While we acknowledge that the normal work requirement in Dominica does not justify a resident expert in every sub-discipline in engineering for example, we have always being willing, and it is our practice and intention, to network with regional and international experts in order to provide any additional requisite services necessary.\r\n\r\nWe therefore call on the international partners to assist in the growth of the local construction sector by affording us the opportunities to be engaged in accordance with our capacities and skills. We continue to salute funding agencies such as the European Union, Caribbean Development Bank and World Bank who, in very transparent ways, have been allowing local professionals and contractors access to work on equal term as with European, regional and international experts and contractors. The JCCCS recognises with tremendous gratitude the contribution to the growth of the local construction sector by these funding agencies.\r\n\r\nUnless the Public Procurement and Contract Administration Act is enforced, the local construction sector will never have a fair chance at contributing to the development of Dominica. It is unlikely that this Act will be enforced unless there are, in addition to local pressure, considerable diplomatic pressures from these international partners and funding agencies.\r\n\r\nThe JCCCS continue to be committed to collaborating with the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica in the development of our country, and more immediately, in the post-Erika recovery effort.\r\n\r\nJCCCS is comprised of Dominica Association of Professional Engineers (DAPE), Dominica Society of Architects (DSA) and Builders and Contractors Association of Dominica (BCAD).\r\n\r\nOpinions expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Dominica News Online or its advertisers.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t
![\"Commentary\"](\"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/commentary2.jpg\")
In an article posted by www.caribbean360.com on 3rd December 2015, the Hon. Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica is quoted as saying \u201cI\u2019ll be the first to say, as I\u2019ve said before, that we do not have the requisite expertise on the island to guide us in that direction therefore we are relying heavily on our partners all of whom have indicated their keen interest and intention to provide us with that level of support and guidance\u201d (http:\/\/www.caribbean360.com\/news\/dominica-loses-almost-all-its-gdp-due-to-climate-change-says-world-bank).\r\n\r\nThe remarks were apparently made following a Development Partners Conference in Dominica on 16th November 2015 to discuss post-Erika recovery efforts.\r\n\r\nThe Joint Consultative Committee on the Construction Sector (JCCCS), and its Constituent member associations, recognising that the built environment in Dominica suffered overwhelming damage from tropical storm Erika, felt obliged and committed that the local construction sector ought to serve the Dominican people with parallel contribution in the recovery process and therefore, offered its services to the Government and the people of Dominica on several occasions.\r\n\r\nOur letter of 7th October 2015 to the Prime Minister of Dominica is attached and is very instructive (See letter below).\r\n\r\nNeither the JCCCS, nor any its constituent members have received as much as an acknowledgement from any public sector body or individual.\r\n\r\nWhat is also instructive is that meetings with various ministries indicate that their senior officers and ministers appear to be unaware of any of our offers to assist in the recovery.\r\n\r\nCalling the Prime Minister\u2019s statement unfortunate may be a very naive approach by the JCCCS, and an utter betrayal of the Construction Sector, the interest of whom we pledge to represent. The fact is that the pronouncement by the Prime Minister is just possibly a confirmation of the ongoing attempt by the Prime Minister and his government to ignore the local Construction Sector and retard its growth.\r\n\r\nIt is more likely that the Prime Minister does not wish to be guided by local expertise in the construction sector rather than there being an absence of the requisite expertise. There has never been, since Erika, a request to furnish from any of our constituent members or the JCCCS itself, a list of experts. Neither has there been any, locally originating, public advertisement for expression of interest, or request for pre-qualification of experts or contractors for any recovery work. It is rather mystifying how the Prime Minister could have arrived at such a conclusion and make such a pronouncement.\r\n\r\nIt would be instructive for the Prime Minister to inform himself, and indeed the entire public sector, that Clause 10 (1) c and d of the Public Procurement and Contract Administration Act (no. 11 of 2012) provides for the development and maintenance of lists of service providers available to be engaged by the Public Sector. Had the Minister of Finance ensured that the Act was fully enforced with the requisite regulations then the Prime Minister would have been save from the embarrassment of such a statement. It is also instructive that the Engineering Professionals Act (no. 22 of 2002) at section 10 (f) also requires the publication in the Gazette of all Registered Engineers in current practice in the state.\r\n\r\nThe JCCCS would like to state clearly that there is a significant cadre of local experts who can provide much of the services required to help in the post-Erika recovery effort. While we acknowledge that the normal work requirement in Dominica does not justify a resident expert in every sub-discipline in engineering for example, we have always being willing, and it is our practice and intention, to network with regional and international experts in order to provide any additional requisite services necessary.\r\n\r\nWe therefore call on the international partners to assist in the growth of the local construction sector by affording us the opportunities to be engaged in accordance with our capacities and skills. We continue to salute funding agencies such as the European Union, Caribbean Development Bank and World Bank who, in very transparent ways, have been allowing local professionals and contractors access to work on equal term as with European, regional and international experts and contractors. The JCCCS recognises with tremendous gratitude the contribution to the growth of the local construction sector by these funding agencies.\r\n\r\nUnless the Public Procurement and Contract Administration Act is enforced, the local construction sector will never have a fair chance at contributing to the development of Dominica. It is unlikely that this Act will be enforced unless there are, in addition to local pressure, considerable diplomatic pressures from these international partners and funding agencies.\r\n\r\nThe JCCCS continue to be committed to collaborating with the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica in the development of our country, and more immediately, in the post-Erika recovery effort.\r\n\r\nJCCCS is comprised of Dominica Association of Professional Engineers (DAPE), Dominica Society of Architects (DSA) and Builders and Contractors Association of Dominica (BCAD).\r\n\r\nOpinions expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Dominica News Online or its advertisers.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t