In an effort to enforce greater adherence to building codes in Guyana, a National Tech-nical Sub-Committee on Regional Building Standards was yesterday launched at the Cara Lodge Hotel.

Italian Riunite wines on display last Friday at the Georgetown Club after they were launched here by regional conglomerate, ANSA McAl.

The committee, which is headed by Melvyn Sankies, consists of various members from the engineering, construction and architectural community as well as representatives from the insurance sectors, Ministry of Housing and the Guyana Fire Service among others.

The project is part of a regional initiative to have practitioners in the construction industry adhere to a regional building code which is expected to mirror international building requirements.

Project Coordinator of the Regional Building Society (RBS) initiative Michael Wood told Stabroek News yesterday that the role of the national committee is to sensitize practitioners within the local construction industry of the initiative. The committee is expected to encourage the participation of architects, engineers, contractors, firemen, electricians, builders and other stakeholders in discussions.

The RBS project is being conducted under the oversight of the Caribbean Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) and is funded by this organization and the Caribbean Develop-ment Bank (CDB) at the cost of almost US$2 million.

According to Wood, the plan is to establish these committees in the majority of Caricom countries, where each committee is tasked with helping to determine the issues that are peculiar to that particular country. These discussions will help to contribute to the Caribbean Application Document (CAD).He said that the points of such discussions is that when the CAD is finally enacted in various countries, the practitioners would have had a say.

Wood, who is a Barbadian national, explained that under the Treaty of Chaguaramas all Caricom countries who have signed on to this Regional Building Standard initiative are legally required to implement building codes in the country within a specific time. He also said that the establishment of a Building Code Authority is another requirement. The role of this Authority will be to receive building plans, to vet them, to do inspections, to do approvals and to issue certificates.

The Project Co-ordinator said that the entire process may not come on stream before the next two to three years, while noting that some territories were more advanced than others. He pointed out that some countries would need more time to develop infrastructure and to train personnel.

He also said that the project also involved flood and seismic hazard mapping and he said that the consultants would have to travel to each territory to conduct these tests.

Sankies, Chairman of the National Building Code Committee, during a presentation underscored the importance of building codes to the country. According to him, if Guyana is to make strides in its current development phase, especially in light of threats posed by global warming, standards relating to design and construction needed to be given special emphasis. He identified the quality of building materials and components as other critical issues.

Sankies also emphasized the importance of all sectors working together if there was to be the successful development and implementation of the codes.