By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The deputy prime minister yesterday said Florida’s tragic Sunrise condominium collapse had exposed the need to both update The Bahamas’ building code and for a greater crackdown on illegal construction.

Desmond Bannister, addressing a webinar organised by the Bahamas Engineers, Architects and Allied Professionals (BEAAP), said the Ministry of Works will conduct follow-up inspections on buildings as well as revise the Building Regulations Act.

“The recent collapse of the condominium complex in Sunrise, Florida, so close to us, has brought into sharp focus the need for a revised comprehensive building code as well as rigorous periodic inspections, and now the need to conduct follow-up structural inspections after a specified period of time,” he added.

Mr Bannister warned that the “aggressive coastal environment” impacting Florida and The Bahamas “mandates extra vigilance” by both regulators and property owners.

The need to upgrade The Bahamas’ building codes was brought into sharp relief in the wake of Hurricane Dorian. Many destroyed buildings were not only built in environmentally sensitive areas, where flooding and hurricane force winds would have the greatest impact, while others were not built to the current building code specification.

Mr Bannister said: “The Building Regulations Act and the rules are in the process of being updated, and prompt action by building control officers will be taken in the curtailing of construction without valid building permits, and where buildings are deemed to be structurally unsound, or where buildings pose a danger to the surrounding community.”

Stricter penalties will also be included in the Act, which will first allow for notices to be served on persons who are not in compliance with the codes. Further action will follow if they fail to take action on the notices served on them.

Mr Bannister also spoke to the Coastal Zone Management project approved by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which is a loan project that his ministry is currently making preparations under to release the fourth edition of the Bahamas building code. “This new edition is long overdue and will seek to encompass the changing technology in the construction industry. The lessons learned from recent destructive nature natural events, the new health and safety requirements agenda caused by the worldwide pandemic, new energy technology and of course mitigation against the ravages of climate change and sea level rise.

“It is common knowledge the need for improvements with the building permitting process in this country have been, and continue to be highlighted, in the World Bank’s ease of doing business reports in which countries in the world are ranked on the deficiencies in doing business with the public sector,” said Mr Bannister.

“A decision has been taken to establish an electronic permit review and inspection system, which would enable building permit applications to be submitted electronically and will further allow the Building Control department and all other agencies to simultaneously review applications rather than the sequential - and sometimes frustrating - process that currently pertains following a competitive bidding process.”

US-based Tyler Industries has been awarded the contract to develop an electronic building permit system. It has been mobilised and is set to have its first public consultation meeting with the private and public sector shortly.