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The occasion was the launching of the Model Home Construction/Repair Contract for use by homeowners and contractors and the signing of the Residential Design and Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) Charter, which have been developed under the Grenada Hurricane Resilient Home Reconstruction Programme.
 The Programme, which was launched in August 2006, was a collaborative effort by the Organisation of American States and the ARD, with $70,000 (US) in funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
Speaking at the ceremony today at the ARD Conference Room, OAS Country Representative for Grenada Francis McBarnette noted that the objective of the Programme was to put in place a mechanism to encourage better building practices that would measurably lessen the loss of life, reduce potential damage and shorten the disaster recovery period.
In delivering the feature address Minister of Social Development Hon. Yolande Bain Horsford announced that it is Government’s intention “to ensure that what we are signing in a symbolic gesture today will eventually become part of Grenada’s legislative framework.”
 “We need to ensure that all players respect the intent of the Charter and my Cabinet colleagues are most supportive of this ground-breaking achievement,” Minister Bain Horsford said.
Referring to the Charter as innovative and progressive, Minister Bain Horsford stated:
“I expect that our neighbours in the Eastern Caribbean and the wider Caribbean will want to examine the Charter and the Model Contract as documents to emulate.”
The Programme provided more than 400 person days of training, during which more than 160 people received training; including engineers, architects, draftsmen, contractors, other building technicians, and officers of the Physical Planning Unit (PPU) of the Ministry of Economic Development and Planning. The Programme also published a Checking Manual for the Examination of Residential Plans and Inspection of Residential Construction for the PPU officers.
“The Physical Planning Unit has been the main beneficiary of the training and this has been deliberate since we see this Department as a crucial variable in ensuring that residential construction in Grenada conforms to the Grenada Building Code and that a CQA is in place,” Mr. McBarnette said.
The first person to place a signature on the CQA Charter was Chief Planner in the PPU Cecil Frederick, on behalf of the Planning and Development Authority. Other stakeholder organisations that signed the CQA Charter were:
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Bankers Association of Grenada,
Construction Association of Grenada,
Grenada Building and Loan Association
Grenada Bureau of Standards
Grenada Building and Loan Association
Grenada Bureau of Standards
Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Grenada Cooperative League Ltd.
Grenada Development Bank
Grenada Institute of Professional Engineers |
Homeowners and contractors can access copies of the Model Home Construction/Repair Contract and the CQA Charter on the ARD website www.ardgrenada.org
November 27, 2007
Agency for Reconstruction and Development
Botanical Gardens, St. George’s, Grenada
Tel: 473-439-5606;
Fax: 473-439-5609;
Email: mail@ardgrenada.org
Website: www.ardgrenada.org
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