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| Sunday, 15 June 2003 |
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Constructors call for local participation in infrastructure projects The Chamber of Construction Industry (CCI) has expressed concern over several government agencies trying to introduce foreign planning and architectural firms to prepare a Western regional plan and undertake real estate development projects. Surath Wickramasinghe, CCI President, said in a news release, that these firms, which he called 'mediocre', are hardly of international repute and that local firms have more experience than them. "We must select the best consultancy firms in the world if Sri Lankan money is used to pay them. This is how we can improve the island's image to be on par with other modern cities in the region," he said. Some countries also follow the practice of local firms collaborating with reputed foreign companies. Companies are selected by an international jury to ensure justice and fair play. If Sri Lanka follows this practice, it will benefit from technology transfers. Further, the charges of the best firms in the world are the same as those of the companies selected by these government agencies, he said. Wickramasinghe said that the construction industry is slowly reviving after a slump and foreign investors are showing interest. The present trend is private sector-oriented and if the public sector facilitates approvals and provides the infrastructure, the industry and the economy can turn around faster.Local construction industrialists are facing severe hardships with the scarcity of work and are at the mercy of banks due to delays in the settlement of their dues by the government. Over three billion US dollars have been pledged by foreign donors for reconstruction work in Sri Lanka. The CCI believes that to make the best use of this fund, there should be several integrated development plans and projects ready for implementation not only in the North-East, but in other parts of the country as well, he said. |
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