BCA, Baha Mar, BTVI Team-Up For $2.6B Project

A two-year initiative was launched yesterday to bring local contractors up to international standards and train them for large projects.

During its 2010 Industry Initiative Presentation and luncheon yesterday, Bahamian Contractors Association (BCA) President Stephen Wrinkle said the industry-driven initiative has three parts - a job skills bank, the division contractor and a contractor seminar series, which when combined, will improve the quality of the local product and provide the best opportunities for Bahamian workers and contractors.

For years the local industry has been criticised for not having enough skilled workers to handle large scaled projects like this one.

The initiative – in conjunction with the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) and Baha Mar – is expected to change this and allow more Bahamian workers to be included in the resort’s plans.

First, a national database of workers in various trades will be created, and an assessment of each tradesman will be carried out to find out their skill level.

Level one is an apprentice, level two is a journeyman and level three is a master.

Courses will then be offered at BTVI to certify persons at each level and to hopefully move them from one level to the next.

The job skills bank of the certified workers will then be created and made available for contractors, sub-contractors and division contractors to draw workers from.

"It will also, for the first time, set national standards for tradesmen within our industry so that when a carpenter comes looking for work and he shows his certificate you will have some assurance that they have attained the basic minimum skills required for each level of that trade," Mr. Wrinkle said.

There are 16 divisions adapted by the American Institute of Architects, which include all phases of work.

By adapting the BCA Division Contractor classification, Mr. Wrinkle said Bahamian contractors will be in a better position to communicate with international offshore partners in a language they can understand.

The third arm of the BCA initiative, the Contractor Seminar Series, will assist our general contractors and division contractors with the pre-qualification, tendering and administrative requirements that Baha Mar and other large construction and development companies have in place for their projects.

On Tuesday the Chinese government approved the $2.6 billion Cable Beach project.

The Bahamian government has not given final approval for the highly anticipated Baha Mar project yet, but you would not know that based on the hundreds of contractors and construction workers who flooded to the Wyndham Resort on Cable Beach yesterday to meet with Baha Mar’s development team.

While several of them are throwing their support behind the initiative, many questioned whether it will benefit contractors with regards to the multi-billion dollar Baha Mar project.

Wellington Smith, owner of Smith Construction and Chainlink Fencing Company Ltd., said while it is a great initiative that will help the industry in the long run, it may be too late to help small contractors get involved in Baha Mar.

"This will be good for future projects, but for this particular project we will be out. I’m not sure if all of those people who need to upgrade their skills and those who need to get a certificate will benefit from this particular project," Mr. Smith said.

"Most courses run between a two or three-year period and by that time the project will be at least halfway complete."

In a press release Tuesday evening, Baha Mar officials said six projects totaling some $60 million would be awarded to Bahamian contractors.

On Wednesday, executive Vice President of Baha Mar Development and Construction, Tom Dunlap revealed a seventh proposed phase geared specifically toward small contractors, who are just starting out.

The Pompey Village Straw Market is the next proposed phase and will become home to local arts and craft vendors.

"That market will become a living lab to give first timers in the industry a chance to function in a big project environment and learn the necessary steps while being paid. It will be an outdoor classroom," Mr. Dunlap said.

Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency, Dingxian Hu is expected to come to The Bahamas August 18 to meet with Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

If approved by the Bahamian government, Baha Mar will create a world-class, multi-billion dollar resort on the popular Cable Beach strip that is expected to pump $1 billion into the economy in the first year.