Marlon Vickerman, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Citing a "big influx" of foreign contractors in the island, Michael Archer, president of the Incorporated Master Builders Association of Jamaica (IMAJ,) says the local construction sector is losing money to these competitors. But he attributes the loss to the local sector's failure to adopt modern constructional technologies and innovations.

Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner yesterday at a seminar titled 'Technology and Innovation: Increasing Construction Productivity, held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston, Archer said that a recent index of employers showed Jamaica's level of productivity ranking among the lowest in the Caribbean.

out of work

"We are not employing the new technologies in the construction sector, so we now have the situation where some local firms are out of work. They can't compete with overseas competitors because the best practices and more efficient way of doing work are not being utilised, resulting in the big influx of foreign contractors," Archer said. "The way that you win a job is to ensure that you utilise the existing technologies and resources to do the job in less time than the competitor. So, the need really exists for the local sector to get exposed to the technology available," he added.

Mike Henry, the new Minister of Transport and Works, also implored the local construction sector to pride itself on efficiency. He said players in the local construction industry were vital to the implementation of plans to expanding the highway network.

"The construction industry will also be essential in continuing the airport development," said Henry. "As stated in our manifesto, this Government plans to improve the Vernamfield aerodrome to an air-transhipment hub and a third international airport. I am sure the local industry will rise to these challenges."

The technology and innovation seminar, aimed at increasing the productivity of local construction firms, was put on by the IMAJ in cooperation with Delta Supply Company Limited, Digicel and the National Commercial Bank.