Sunday, November 27, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)
WITH the swearing in of the new board of the Papua New Guinea Board of Architects on Thursday- Minister for works, Francis Awesa has challenged the new board to start playing its role and carry out demolitions of building not meeting standards.
His comments came about when announcing plans to approve any fee increases to the registered and registering architecture fraternity that should enable the quiet regulator of building designs to now police its mandated function.
With current registration fees for architects in the country currently at around the K100 mark as allowed by the act of 1989- the board of architects has struggled to place an imprint on the building boom that has taken place in the country’s urban areas over the last decade, especially Port Moresby and other major cities.
“Issue of fees is low at the moment, and after getting advice from the deputy secretary (of Works) it’s all agreed that it remains very low.”
“It is one of the reasons why we cannot go out there and carry out inspections to see if buildings are complying with the standards.”
“I would ask the PNG Board of Architects through the chairman and newly appointed members to make it your business to set what is fair and reasonable fees and that will be approved in due course as soon as it happens.”
Minister Awesa told the board that the new fees did not need to go to Cabinet as they were within regulatory powers of the minister.
“Once the fees are approved I would like to see some demolitions coming up, I am talking about serious demolitions.”
“You will be the policemen of the industry so get to work we need some demolition orders coming in from the industry to get these things right.”
“You travel around in this city, Lae and everywhere else you can see that some of these buildings don’t comply with the standards, we start with a few. Go to the building sites and make sure that they comply with the standards and make sure that you go through their building board plans, all approved and that they are complying with the foundation structures, whatever that needs to be done,” a serious Mr Awesa reiterated.
He pointed out that progress of the National Capital District was one that was geared towards building a modern city and not a village city.
“The public out there we are not stopping anybody from doing business but you have got to comply with the building standards.”
“Let’s carry out some demolition and people will get the message.”
Members of the PNG Board of Architects includes the chairman Vaghi Gairowagga- board members David Rovou, Professor Cletus Gonduan, Derek Edward Smith, and Dieselo Bigilale.
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