Strengthening the Construction Industry

The first in a series of national programmes aimed at strengthening and harmonizing the legislative framework for the construction sector within the OECS sub-region, has started.

On August 7, 2001 officials of the Caribbean Programme for Economic Competitiveness (CPEC), and St. Lucia’s Ministry of Planning, Development, Environment and Housing, signed the documents paving the way for commencement of the initiative.

“The Construction Industry Standardization, Training and Certification Project as the name suggests, seeks to introduce standards including the promotion of the OECS harmonized building code and other forms of contracts and to provide training and certification to industry practitioners. The Ministry of Planning looks forward to the participation of the many stakeholders who stand to benefit from the implementation of this project,” said Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Planning, Development, Environment and Housing Alison King-Joseph.  

CPEC officials believe that the project, costing well over 300 thousand dollars, will assist immensely in boosting the construction industry on the island. The latest figures released from the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) indicate that the construction sector is not only the fastest growing, but is the largest single contributor to St. Lucia’s Gross National Product, even surpassing tourism. Based on that fact a regulatory body for the sector is deemed absolutely essential.

In the words of CPEC’s Regional Project Manager Melvin Edwards, “Unlike other sectors there is no regional body or bodies which support the sector. Whereas tourism benefits from the CTO and CHA, whereas agriculture has CARDI and IICA, whereas the financial services sector has the ECCB and CBD, there is no regional body which carries the mantle for construction but this is our fastest growing and in fact our largest contributor to GNP.”

The construction sector, he added, also generates significant employment, albeit seasonally.

The new CPEC project which is being jointly funded by the Government of Saint Lucia, is to be replicated throughout the Windward Islands.

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