Blacklist of contractors ‘could deter laggards’

Delay in some contractors completing government construction projects has prompted calls from experts to draw a blacklist with the names of these companies. This would prevent delay in construction projects, said Mohammad Al-Qahtani, professor of International Business in King Faisal University, and one of the experts to come up with the blacklist idea. He said the job of preparing the draft should be designated to the Saudi Council of Engineers and the National Anti-Corruption Commission, or Nazaha.
Al-Qahtani, however, feared that this list might not see the light of day because some contractors are well connected and can avoid being penalized. He called for making use of the experiment of Aramco which implements projects without delays.
Former chairman of the contractors' committee in the Eastern Province Saleh Abdullah Al-Sayed stressed the importance of forming a committee with representatives from the Saudi Council of Chambers.
Al-Sayed also suggested that the committee should evaluate projects, point out reasons behind delays and verify contractors' classifications.