New Building Code to be enforced in 2007

The Ministry of Housing, Informal Human Settlements, Land and Surveys and Physical Planning began an intense programme starting with the media on Monday, geared towards sensitizing the public on the implementation of the National Building Code. The Building Code will be enforced in 2007 and onwards.{{more}}

The press conference staged at the ministry’s head office, located opposite the Kingstown Seventh Day Adventist Church on Granby Street, also dealt with the issue of compliance to the standards expressed in the code and guidelines.

Kenrick Glynn, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing, disclosed that the Building Code and Guidelines were developed by the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing in conjunction with the Construction Association between the period 1992 -2005. Glynn added it was done as part of a regional programme spearheaded by CARICOM and funded by the Caribbean Regional Resource Development Programme for Economic Competitiveness.

“The approach we are taking is that we want to have it as a consumer friendly, construction industry friendly approach,” said Julian Francis, Minister of Housing, Informal Human Settlements, Land and Surveys.

Francis noted that the guidelines will deal with buildings up to 2, 500 square feet while the National Building Code will cover those structures over 2, 500 square feet.

The Minister said the educational campaign that will be carried out between now and December will use a lot of footage from the disasters that struck Grenada in 2004 and 2005, to show people why there is a need for the National Building Code to create a safer built environment.

Francis noted that the time is coming when tradesmen such as carpenters and masons will have to be certified and produce the document when called upon to do work.

The Ministry of Housing, Informal Human Settlements, Land and Surveys, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education said Francis, has organized under the STATVET programme for

the continuation of certification of tradespersons.

Francis said it takes a storm sometimes for persons to be made aware of the effects of bad construction.

Ardon Nelson, Town Planner, said a range of activities including staff training on Friday, August 11, the establishment of an information desk at the Physical Planning Unit on August 15 dealing with questions from the public pertaining to the Building Code. A meeting with architects and engineers on Wednesday, August 16, and a television documentary, will be shown to sensitize the public on the issue.

In December an evaluation will be carried out on the educational campaign which will later lead to the enforcement of the Building Code in early 2007.