The Tribune

THE National Emergency Management Agency is collaborating with the Caribbean Disaster Management Agency and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute to promote safer building practices.

The effort was launched with a Safer Building Course for contractors to ensure they understand and adhere to national building codes.

The course, held March 11-15, attracted participants from Caribbean Disaster Management Agency (CDEMA) participating states, including the Bahamas, Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

NEMA is seeking to enhance community resilience to disasters by promoting safer building in the Caribbean.

Additionally, BTVI proposes to implement the Regional Code of Practice for the Construction of Houses (COP).

NEMA is further seeking to ensure sustainability, as it plans to facilitate programmes in partnership with BTVI and Urban Renewal Centres on the Safer Building Course throughout the Bahamas and selected Family Islands.

The target group for the course included individuals who are currently in the construction field, Ministry of Works and Urban Renewal workers, Defence Force officers, police officers, prison guards and the Englerston Urban Renewal team.

They heard from qualified instructors including: Alexander Darville, dean of construction and work force, BTVI; Graham Thornley, head of department, BTVI; Craig Delancy, building controller, Ministry of Works and Urban Renewal; Craig Knowles, engineer, Bahamas Electricity Corporation.

The first Safer Building Course was held over a five-week period from February 21 to March 21, 2011 at BTVI.

Two sessions were held weekly – Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. Sessions lasted four hours.

A total of 40 hours inclusive of classroom and practical instructions were held to fulfil the requirements, while instructors from BTVI monitored and facilitated all sessions. Eighteen persons successfully completed the course.