More consultations needed on law to regulate engineers – APNU+AFC

Last Updated on Sunday, 16 February 2025, 20:46 by Writer

As the National Assembly prepares to debate legislation to govern the practice of engineers, the opposition A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) says the draft law needs to be revised after consultations with a wide variety of industry-specific stakeholders.

“The Engineers Bill currently before the National Assembly contains several troubling aspects and weaknesses that must be addressed before passage,” the parliamentary coalition said in a statement. The coalition said if the Engineers Bill is not subjected to broad-based consultation, the law would be amended if the incumbent People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) loses the 2025 general and regional elections.

“Should the government fail to respect these basic requests, then, we, as the next government, will consult and make the necessary amendments ourselves,” the APNU+AFC said.

While APNU+AFC said it “fully supports the need for a law to regulate the engineering profession, uphold professional standards, ensure public safety, and contribute to national development, it is recommending that the draft law be sent to a bipartisan parliamentary Select Committee to allow for key stakeholders – including the University of Guyana’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology, the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE) and all other interested persons – to be given the opportunity to provide meaningful input on this legislation. “We call on the Government to act responsibly and in the national interest by allowing this bill to undergo proper scrutiny. The passage of an Engineers Bill must not be rushed or politically dictated. It must be a professionally-driven, consensus document that is well structured and commands the support of both the engineering community and the wider public — so that together we can craft a law that is necessary and sound in substance,” the opposition said.

While acknowledging that discussions had been held with GAPE in the past, the coalition said those engagements date back many years and so the GAPE and other engineering professionals were unlikely to support the provisions in the latest draft law that is up for debate on Monday.

The opposition is objecting to, among other things, the Minister of Public Works being granted the authority to appoint the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Engineering Registration Board. Such a provision, APNU+AFC says, raises serious concerns about potential political interference in what should be an independent regulatory body. The opposition is also taking issue at the Fifth Schedule that will restrict engineers from providing a complete, comprehensive set of building plans for human occupancy unless those plans are prepared by, or under the supervision of, an architect. “This clause, among others, undermines the role of engineers and needs urgent reconsideration. These are just a few of the many discrepancies that will emerge during the debate on Monday.