Concerns over Bahamian participation in the proposed $2.6 billion Baha Mar development

Concerns over Bahamian participation in Baha Mar raised at BCA meeting
By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
tthompson@tribunemedia.net:



CONSTRUCTION industry stakeholders yesterday questioned how the Bahamas Contractors' Association would ensure that small operators get a fair share of work on the proposed $2.6 billion Baha Mar development and similar projects.

These concerns were raised yesterday at a luncheon held by the BCA at the Wyndham Crystal Palace Resort and Casino in Cable Beach to inform the industry of impending changes the local construction sector must adopt to qualify for work on massive foreign investment projects such as Baha Mar.

Baha Mar's developers will introduce $60 million worth of contracts to begin the first phase of the project, which will only be awarded to Bahamian contractors, in the coming weeks.

BCA President Stephen Wrinkle assured the crowd of construction workers, contractors and tradesmen that his organisation would find ways to help create the "maximum Bahamian participation" in the development.

"The reason we're here today is to try to get the little man onboard with these projects. Let's face it – the big fellas, they fight their battles too but they're going to be here whether Baha Mar goes (forward) or not but the little man needs a lil' leg up right now to get along with this project and that's all we're trying to do," he said in a response to a question from the crowd.

The changes, which will allow the local construction sector to meet the expectations of the international market are separated into three parts: Creating a jobs skills bank for the sector; adopting an internationally recognised system of identifying classifications for division contractors; and launching a construction seminar series to help contractors meet the pre-qualification, tendering and administrative requirements of large scale developers.

Courses will then be held at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) to certify these workers, and allow them to received advanced certification.

The skills bank will be of use to contractors and sub-contractors, allowing them to draw from a pool of qualified workers. It also will establish, for the first time according to Mr Wrinkle, national standards for those in the industry, "So that when a carpenter comes looking for work and he shows the certificate you will have some assurance that they have attained the basic, minimum skills required for each level.”

The crowd was also briefed on the most recent developments in the progress of Baha Mar's proposed transformation of the Cable Beach strip, which got a boost this week after the government of the People's Republic of China formally approved the joint venture.

The first phase requires the removal of government and other buildings adjacent to the Sheraton Nassau Beach and Wyndham Crystal Palace hotels, as well as the rerouting of West Bay Street for one and a half miles to skirt Baha Mar’s build site.

Vice president of construction for the project, Tom Dunlap, said the first phase could take 9-18 months.

The development is expected to create 11,000 jobs for Bahamians and add $1 billion to the local economy in the first year after completion. However the future of the project faces another hurdle – final approval from the Bahamas government.

July 29, 2010

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