BSE president: “Fast-track” approval process for construction needed
NASSAU,BAHAMAS – The restoration process in hurricane ravaged Abaco and Grand Bahama could be placed in a ‘stranglehold’ if government follows the same process and procedures pre-storm, the Bahamas Society of Engineers (BSE) president suggested yesterday.
Quentin Knowles, the Bahamas Society of Engineers (BSE) president reiterated those concerns yesterday as he urged a ‘fast track’ approval process for new construction to alleviate the burden on government resources.
Knowles said a number of suggestions were put forward by ‘ACE’ alliance – comprised of the Bahamas Institute of Bahamian Architects, the Bahamas Contractors Association and the Bahamas Society of Engineers.
“We need all hands on deck here,” he said.
“We have to start thinking outside the box on how this reconstruction effort is going to happen. If we are going to follow the same processes and procedures we do now we just see the process being placed in a stranglehold.
“There just isn’t enough resources. There is simply too much construction to take place. We need to release the reigns and let this thing go. It’s not that we are letting people do whatever they want, it’s not carte blanche.
“We are proposing a very robust process,” said Knowles.
He called on the government find ways to get architects, engineers and contractors more involved in the process with government agencies likely to be overwhelmed.
“We haven’t heard anything in response to our proposal. We put the proposal in front of several government officials and they could use it as they see fit,” said Knowles.
He noted that there has been some initial signs of commercial enterprises seeking to return to Abaco.
“I have heard some things as a contractor. There are several commercial enterprises looking to start rebuilding as soon as possible. There are several, which from my perspective are promising. I suspect that over the coming months more of that kind of activity will come forth,” said Knowles.
