With mandatory licensing of building contractors set to start in January 2017, the board that regulates the sector is finalising a public education campaign.

Builders’ Board Chair Heber Arch and the committee’s other nine members have been working for some time to prepare for the onset of registration. They are also planning a programme of outreach to contractors that will ensure the widest possible compliance with this provision in the Builders Law.

The members, who have been meeting once a week, headed by Mr. Arch, since Government named the board in September are:

Deputy Chairman, Mr. S. Thomas (Tommie) Bodden,

Mr. Stanley Hill,

Mr. Antoney (Toney) Reid,

Mr. Dean D. Scott,

Mr. Omar McLean,

Mr. Roland Bodden,

Mr. Mervin Smith,

Mr. Dave Johnston, and,

Board Secretary and Director of Planning, Mr. Haroon Pandohie.

The board will target venues that builders frequent during their work days, and will prominently display materials such as brochures in local hardware and builders’ supply stores.

Noting that the law was passed after years of consultation and amendments to the bill to reflect the sentiments of the majority of the builders in the Cayman Islands, Mr Arch adds: “We’ve begun the process of making its provisions a reality. Complying with the law by registering is protection for locally operating builders as well as for consumers, who will have recourse to getting better service from their contractors,” he elaborated.

The board will also reinforce to the public in as many forums as possible the new requirements under the law, so that all local contractors – from small, one-person operations to big companies – can learn about the Builders’ Law and specifically how and why they should formally register, Mr. Pandohie explained.

With this objective in mind the Chairman and Director will make appearances on local media.

In addition, the board has endorsed workshops conducted by the Cayman Islands Contractors’ Association to provide complete information about the new Builders’ Law and assist with completing the registration forms. Dates and venues will be announced when finalised, Mr. Pandohie said.

Once licensing starts in the New Year registration forms will be available on the Planning Department’s website www.planning.ky.