Colombian construction prepares for restart

Colombia is expecting construction to be one of the first sectors of the economy to be restarted from April 27, the day on which the mandatory quarantine decreed by President Iván Duque was to end.

José Ignacio López, head of economic research at Corficolombiana - a Colombian investment bank - said “the construction sector should be opened after April 27, without problem, under certain restrictions on the number of workers that may be in open spaces,” as reported by finance magazine Potafolio.

Sandra Forero, president of the Colombian Chamber of Construction (Camacol), was reported as saying; ”as a sector we are prepared to apply strict protocols for work on site and supply of materials that will allow us to start again in good time.”

Colombia’s construction industry employs 7% of the national workforce and generates 8% of GDP.

Among the construction sectors being considered as part of the restart are contractors and the construction supply chain. Excluded will be non-professional builders, which will continue to be subject to the lockdown.

“Only those who are under a legally constituted company, registered with the Chamber of Commerce and with a registered office,” will be authorised to carry out work, the government warned.