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Government construction is scheduled to restart on July 5 but the private sector will have to wait a while longer.
At the Prime Minister’s media conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, Port of Spain, Dr Rowley announced several measures to lift the covid19 ban on state construction with raw material suppliers such as block manufacturers also being allowed to reopen.
A plan to reopen the sector on Monday was delayed by a week as some construction workers were yet to receive their second covid19 vaccine.
“We will hold the private sector construction for view after the next week," Rowley said and depending on the number of cases private sector construction may be able to resume by July 12.
Rowley said that almost 15,000 workers within the sector have been vaccinated but not all have received their second doses of Sinopharm, but it should be completed by the end of July.
“By the time we open private sector construction, we would be having a heavily vaccinated population of approximately 40,000 people. And that will put us in a much stronger and safer position with respect to a major sector of the economy that would be the pillar on which the other sectors of the economy would roll out. Rather than gamble for an early start on Monday and run the risk of having a large number of unvaccinated people reversing what we have done,” he said.
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh also noted that both the Chinese and Indian governments provided vaccines for their nationals employed with firms contracted for government projects from previous donations.
Among the major state projects which will restart are the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin, the San Fernando Waterfront Project, the Central Block of the Port of Spain hospital, Diego Martin interchange, Ministry of Health head office, new terminal building for the ANR International Airport in Tobago and several schools.
In response to the PM's announcement, president of the TT Construction Association Glenn Mahabirsingh said the news was welcomed as almost 80 per cent to 85 per cent of workers will be back out to work.
He said state construction accounts for the largest number of construction workers and projects and was hopeful that in the coming weeks the association would complete its vaccination drive.
“The construction is generally driven by state projects. At least 80-85 per cent of expenditure in the construction sector occurs on state projects. The balance is private sector projects.
“We are happy with July 5, considering the dynamics and dangers of the covid19 virus.”
Mahabrsingh said second doses of Sinopharm vaccines to workers within the construction and hardware sectors as part of the government’s private public partnership for the national vaccinations would be executed based on health ministry instructions.
He added that since the last announcement by Finance Minister Colm Imbert that construction workers can apply for salary relief grants, there have been no reports of hiccups.
Mahabirsingh added that with construction scheduled to reopen, he was unsure how the grants will apply to unemployed workers in the sector but noted that current application deadline was June 30.
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