By Linda Kwanjana
Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule has challenged Quantity Surveyors in the country to work tirelessly in order to help the Government in its quest to have this country developed.
Speaking during the opening of this year’s international conference for Africa Association of Quantity Surveyors (AAQS) whose theme is “Africa’s 2063 Agenda and the Built Environment: The Evolving Role of a Quantity Surveyor” Kamtukule said said Quality Surveyors plays crucial role in the development of the country.
The Minister said there have been stories of building a toilet and costing it at K20Million.
“This is time to see you addressing a press conference and tackling these issues because you are experts on these issues,” he said.
The Minister emphasised that Quantity Surveyors need to turn around as we have stayed in one place for too long.
We need to take up the challenge and speak up whenever we see that we have not been there is a project with no consulting QS.
The Minister said that the government has an open door policy and you need to take advantage of that by making sure that surveyors meet the responsible government departments, Minister and the president.
The Minister further lamented that it is obscene for Malawi to have only 47 licensed Quantity Surveyors, it means we are not doing enough.
She further advised that Quantity Surveyors to take deliberate moves for career talks in primary and secondary school to make the profession known.
She advised that she has taken note of all recommendations and will be followed up.
Honourable Kamtukule said the grouping has been on the mountain for so long and its time to turn around and take your journey.
In his speech , President for Surveyors Institute of Malawi, QS Martin Chimangeni commended the Minister for coming to open the conference. Chimangeni said his Organization has agreed to the challenge of working hard.
Chimangeni commended the current regime for providing conducive environment which the body has been operating on.
“Honourable Minister, Quantity Surveyors in Malawi are like a fish that is smoked, a sweet potato that is crushed, and a banana left to dry with no juice in it. We are happy you are here to care for the nursery so that we can, again, put on our mad boots for the hustle as we stand to reclaim the lost glory of the profession,” he said.
Surveyors Institute of Malawi (SIM) has been in existence since 1975 and is among the oldest professional bodies in the country. The institution comprises Land Surveyors including hydrographic and geological surveyors; Quantity Surveyors and Land Economy or valuation surveyors, commonly known as valuers.
Land Surveyors specialize in global positioning and mapping. Through the land surveyors, we get the famous deed plans for title preparation and documentation, contours, road mapping and surveying, water body mapping, geological mapping, and many others.
While in Quantity Surveyors there are the construction cost and procurement experts who have the expertise to ably combine their numerical supremacy, engineering understanding, and contract administrative prowess in the built environment.
They understand the construction and development market in terms of how work should be procured to effectively achieve maximum results whilst managing construction, legal and contract risks. They hold the key to the accountability of cost on projects and throughout the whole life cycle of a property. They are your construction economists and/or construction accountants.
The QS is in other countries referred to as a cost engineer with expertise in standardized documentation, construction contract administration, bills of Quantities, and credible Insurance or property replacement valuation expertise.
They are also involved in feasibility studies for the development of projects and general risk and insurance assessments.
