Planning authority to consider naming and shaming contractors deviating from license requirements |25 August 2022

The meeting yesterday with the contractors (Photos: Louis Toussaint)

The Seychelles Planning Authority (SPA) said it is considering publishing the names of contractors and companies not abiding by their license requirement.

The chief executive of the authority, Angela Servina, made the statement at a meeting with building contractors at the STC conference room yesterday.

It followed complaints and concerns that some building contractors continue to deviate from their licence requirement, violating planning laws and stressing their clients who have spent years saving to build their house.

The SPA had called the meeting, after a two-year hiatus, to touch base with the contractors to highlight the complaints they keep getting from members of the public, and to apprise them of the changes that have taken place over the past two years, namely the enactment of the Physical Planning Act 2021.

Under the act building contractors are liable to face hefty penalties if they violate their agreement. These vary from R500,000 to up to a year imprisonment or suspension of license, if they violate their agreement.

“Unfortunately we keep getting complaints regarding some development and the public gets affected in the process. One example is where construction is not done according to plan, making it more costly for clients in the long run. We therefore need to sensitize and remind them of their obligations and responsibilities towards their clients,” said CEO Servina.

The SPA had 1685 files under monitoring last year and received 104 complaints. These included failure to submit mandatory notices such as commencement notice, deviation from approved plans without notifying the authority, carrying out development without approval, as well as health and safety issues on site, among others.

It should be noted that complaints directly linked to clients are registered to the Fair Trading Commission and last year 43 construction-related complaints, with a value worth R23,439,364, were registered.

FTC, through its tripartite work with the Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA), and the Seychelles Planning Authority (SPA), cancelled four licences in construction last year and suspended one.

Yesterday’s meeting was also to get the contractors’ views on a proposal to establish a council, set up by the contractors themselves, that will register and regulate their work. This will be similar to the one currently being drafted for licensed agents, namely architects, engineers and draughtsman.

The proposal generated a lot of debate with the building contractors questioning the function of the council, the election of its members as well as its impartiality and transparency. However, it was welcomed by the majority of those present.

Ms Servina said the council will not only raise the standards of the profession but address some of the concerns presently being raised with regard to infractions.

She therefore called on them to support the proposal and to participate actively in the drafting process.

“This will be entirely you with no involvement of the government. If you feel there should be a school to test the competency before a licence is issued, you should decide as a council. Because just like you, we are also fed up with these issues. Make it a robust and professional council that will regulate your own work,” said Ms Servina.

SPA plans to present the first draft of the bill for the setting up of the council during the second quarter of 2023.

Patsy Canaya