SLIA highlights industry concerns during annual sessions

By Zahara Zuhair
Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) President Architect Harsha Fernando highlighted that there were a few issues that are casting a gloomy shadow on his profession, which need to be addressed in going forward. 
Addressing the SLIA annual sessions held last week, he said SLIA has voiced its concerns on the setbacks and dangers in the awarding of projects in ‘design and build’ method, which involves just two parties—the client and the contractor. 
“It leaves out the consultant, who is often the architect who would ensure that all requirements are adhered to. In most instances the architect provides his or her services without meeting the client.
The client loses the service of the architect, which is the traditional role where the architect serves as an advisor to help the client make decisions,” he said.
As a result, he said this has led to uncertainties in projects. When specifications and standards are not met, project timelines are violated, the clients, who are often large-scale state institutions, incur heavy losses, and consequently become a burden to the country, he pointed out. 
However, in the interest of the country and the profession, he appealed to the policy makers to safeguard the value and worth of the funds spent on these projects so that they served the purpose for which they were meant. 
“To ensure proper delivery the design built procurement system must give proper weightage to the value and input of the architect and the consultants,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) and free trade agreements with countries in the region, which have large populations and vast unemployment, has caused great consternation among professionals due to the likelihood of a tsunami type wave of foreign professionals into the country.
“The recess given to the professional bodies to strengthen their regulatory framework to counter such threats was made use of by SLIA to make amendments to its act.  We are clear about our intentions; we are clear about our approach. We do not contemplate traversing a collision course with the government, we need to adapt to new conditions and grab the opportunities to strengthen ourselves and move onto next levels of development of the profession,” he said.
He requested the authorities to ensure that the services sector was secured from the invasion of foreign professionals and would not be liberalized. 
He also said the architects of this island from the ancient periods were known to have championed the cause of sustainability in their endeavours of shaping the built environment. 
“Thus, I have no doubt that our current architects who have mastered the craft of sustainable architecture would readily rise to the challenges of the nation’s needs,” he said.
Minister of Special Assignments Dr. Sarath Amunugama said that in designing the new Colombo that was emerging, one must not look only at the requirements of the business community and the affluent classes, but also into the interests of the city poor, many of whom had migrated from the villages decades ago, seeking greener pastures. 
He said that the poor had catered to various needs of city life over the years and they must share in the benefits of upgrading the city.
City Planning and Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem said that the development of the country was not measured by how many cars an individual owns, but measured by how many rich people travel by public transport.
Keeping that in mind, he said that the government was looking at investing in developing highways, to improve city infrastructure particularly, transport.
He said that the architects have to play a key part in this development process.
In the meantime, he said that the Prime Minister has appointed a task force headed by Minister Amunugama to look at the development in the Kandy area.
“We have got some donors including Japan to give us money to improve the city. The initial project will be to convert the historic Bogamabra prison to a living space where everyone can enjoy,” he said.