They set priorities for the administration that Ito Bisonó will head.
SANTO DOMINGO – Three construction businessmen said yesterday that they expect the newly appointed Minister of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (MIVHED), Ito Bisonó, to implement a management style focused on accelerating permitting processes, promoting the use of new technologies, and strengthening supervision, control of illegal construction, and oversight of public projects.
The considerations were expressed by Fermín Acosta, former president of the Dominican Association of Housing Builders and Promoters (ACOPROVI); Teodoro Tejada, former president of the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors (CODIA); and Eliseo Cristopher, president of the Dominican Confederation of Small and Medium Construction Companies (COPYMECON).
Permitting and use of technology
Fermín Acosta stated that he hopes the new administration will maintain the current approach to housing. “We hope the ministry will continue to improve and that the housing policy will continue to reduce the country's housing deficit,” he said.
Referring to Carlos Bonilla's tenure, he stated: “The outgoing minister has been doing a good job. Of course, there are always opportunities for improvement, and with the new minister we expect those steps to continue.”.
Acosta also emphasized the need to promote innovation within the institution. “Clearly, we must foster new technologies from the Ministry of Construction,” he stated.
He added that one of the challenges is facilitating the private sector's participation in these processes. "We need to find ways to make it easier for developers to adopt these new construction technologies, because due to resource constraints, it's impossible for almost all of us to do so," he stated.
Supervision and control of works
For his part, Teodoro Tejada indicated that one of the main challenges of the new administration is to strengthen the oversight mechanisms.
“Among the main challenges, it should be noted that engineer Carlos Bonilla had created a system of private inspectors to guarantee supervision,” he said.
He added that, following recent events, relevant changes occurred, “After what happened with the Jet Set case, there was a significant change and there are also some factors involved,” he stated.
Tejada pointed out the need to consolidate key technical areas, “This needs to be fully employed in consolidating the plan processing department, an area he knows because he managed it in Public Works,” he indicated.
He also referred to structural safety. “It has the challenge of guaranteeing the safety of the projects to the public,” he stated.
He also insisted on the implementation of measures against construction outside the legal framework. “Implement the program to halt illegal construction, because here anyone can build in plain sight and nobody says anything,” he stated.
He added that these actions must be maintained. “Carlos Bonilla, in recent times, had shut down many illegal construction projects, and now the challenge is to continue with the program of supervision and oversight of construction projects in the country,” he stated.
Public works, the National Health System and SMEs
The former president of CODIA also addressed internal technical management, stating, “The technicians in Industry and Commerce are not the same as the technicians in the housing sector. There are good technicians that he should take advantage of.”.
He indicated that another challenge is managing construction costs and vices, stating, "There must be price controls and management of construction vices to avoid distortions in projects.".
Tejada also raised the need for broader state oversight. “The Ministry of Housing must manage and oversee the public works projects carried out by the government,” he stated.
He added that this oversight should be extended to the health sector, “It should also monitor the works being built for the National Health Service (SNS), to ensure that they comply with the technical and safety conditions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Eliseo Cristopher stated that there was communication with the sector he represents during the previous administration. "We have always maintained open and broad contact with the ministry, where we have been consulted," he said.
However, he pointed out limitations in direct participation, stating, "We did not see a clear active participation of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the construction sector.".
Finally, he referred to housing programs, stating, "The Happy Housing plan has a huge vocation in the economic, political and social order.".
He added that one of the challenges is to broaden its reach, "So that there are not just ten or twenty projects, but hundreds of projects developed with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises throughout the country," he concluded.
