Construction industry to create two million jobs by 2011

by Lalin Fernandopulle

The construction industry will generate over two million employment opportunities in 2011 from the present 1.058 million. It is estimated that around 458,000 people are directly employed in the industry while 600,000 are indirectly employed, said CEO and Secretary General of the Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka (CCISL), Dakshitha Thalagodapitiya.

The construction chamber is grateful to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for offering infrastructure development projects to the domestic construction industry on a design built basis. Such a program will upgrade Sri Lankan contractors to the status of developers, Thalagodapitiya said.

The construction industry is determined to record its presence in the overseas market. The construction industry needs the assistance of the government to identify and develop at least 10 major domestic companies representing different specialities for capacity building and upgrading to be qualified to undertake overseas assignments.

Domestic construction companies must enhance its capacities and reach global competitive levels. Construction companies must go public and list their shares on the Colombo Stock Exchange to broadbase ownership and raise capital.

Thalagodapitiya said the government needs to assist domestic construction companies to undertake overseas contracts by facilitating receipt of bonds and bank guarantees.

Large global markets untapped for designs and claims management must be captured.

The shortage of construction craftsmen is a major impediment to the growth of the industry. There needs to be competent and skilled construction craftsmen who with their professional work could place the construction industry on a better footing.

If foreign consultants and contractors wish to enter the Sri Lankan market they must establish joint ventures with recognised consultants and contractors to facilitate transfer of technology and expertise, he said.

The construction chamber and the National Construction Association of Sri Lanka had called for government agencies such as the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) to be managed as public-private partnerships, Thalagodapitiya said.

President of the Major and Specialist Branch of the National Construction Association, D. D. Wijemanne said that there is a severe dearth of construction materials such as sand and metal.