The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamian Contractors Association’s (BCA) president yesterday urged the industry to remain “optimistic” about its recovery prospects with several major projects due to start next year.

Michael Pratt told Tribune Business: “There is the Disney project on the table that’s about to start-up. Carnival Cruise Line is discussing their project. Plus we have a lot of developers coming in and discussing their project that I won’t name because they want to remain private.”

“We have a lot of projects on the table. As they get approved that will be how we will be able to count for certain what we have to work with. Everything is still up. We just want to remain optimistic about the future and for the betterment of our economy and our industry.”

The construction industry was not hit as hard as other sectors of the Bahamian economy by COVID-19 lockdowns and associated restrictions over the past 22 months. However, it is dealing with the high cost of materials due to global supply chain and shipping bottlenecks that have been unable to cope with post-lockdown demand.

Quentin Knowles, the Bahamas Society of Engineers (BSE) president, added: “With the exception of the occasional large residential and custom residential that you see at Lyford Cay and Albany, and a couple of government projects that are under design that will be going out to bid in the next couple of months, and another project out at Jaws Beach, I haven’t heard of too many projects ready to go for next year. I’m not familiar with any large mega project coming on stream for next year.”

Giving his 2022 forecast for the construction industry, Mr Knowles said: “On the construction and installations side of things, things are slow. However, on the consultant side and engineering side, there are some things going on. I really can’t get too deep into it, but I doubt it will be anything like it was pre-COVID-19. Some things will happen next year. I am hopeful.”