Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Professional Quantity Surveyors’ Council (PQSC) Act 2013 will be amended to accommodate the proposals of the professionals in the field of quantity surveying and the Construction Industry Authority will soon be operational to ensure best practices, safety and health compliances and inclusion of women in the construction sector.
The above announcement was made by the Minister of National Infrastructure and Community Development, Mr Mahendranuth Sharma Hurreeram, this morning, as he attended the 10th commemorative anniversary of the PQSC at the Caudan Arts Centre, in Port Louis.
The Private Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Vikash Nuckcheddy; the Chairperson of PQSC, Mr Veerprakash Sadeo; the Chairman of the Construction Industry Development Board Council, Mr Tarkaswar Cowalessur; quantity surveyors; and other personalities were present to celebrate the event.
In his keynote address, Minister Hurreeram asserted that there has been a revolutionary leap in the construction industry, involving the ‘Field to Building Information Modeling’ (BIM) transition.
In this regard, he highlighted the paramount role of the PQSC in equipping quantity surveyors with the necessary tools and skills to proactively face daunting challenges, contrive concrete solutions, and improve the standard of living of local citizens.
Mr Hurreeram, moreover, indicated that quantity surveyors can learn new techniques and tools abroad, and employ these in the implementation and completion of local projects in a cost- and time-effective manner.
He recalled that the construction of the A1 – M1 Link Road from Coromandel to Soreze, suffered from a dearth of foreign workers, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the Road Development Authority provided capacity-building training to Mauritians to assist in realising the project.
As for Mr Sadeo, he affirmed that the Construction Industry Authority Bill will promote sustainable development, efficiency, climate resilience, dispute resolution and an increased female participation in the construction domain.
The Chairperson of PQSC also outlined a number of challenges faced by quantity surveyors and put forth the diverse measures that can be implemented to proactively foster better financial management, accountability and responsibility.
On his part, Mr Cowalessur dwelt on the unprecedented increase in the number of construction projects in Mauritius. He pointed out that in 2022, the construction industry contributed to 5.2% of the GDP, compared to 4.3% in 2021.
It is forecasted that in 2023, the GDP from construction will around to 6.2%. In this vein, he underscored the critical role of quantity surveyors in delivering timely, cost-effective and improved quality services in construction. A commemorative magazine was also launched to mark the 10th anniversary of the PQSC and appreciation shields were remitted.
This was followed by a workshop on the introduction and use of the BIM to facilitate the modernisation of the construction industry in Mauritius, using a collaborative approach, encompassing contractors, architects, engineers and the quantity surveyors.
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