Building contractors in the UAE will soon be classified to facilitate better bidding procedures and level off the playing field among industry players, according to the Gulf News.

A technical committee of the UAE Contractors' Association is now mapping out schemes to classify the estimated 1,400 contractors in the country to improve the operations of building contractors, said Rashed Ahmed Rashed, general manager of the association.

The classification, which will be finalised by the end of this year, will be based on capitalisation, machinery, number of engineers, level of expertise, among other factors that determine the size and strength of the company.

Body to audit readymix sought

Dubai: One of the leading concrete suppliers in the UAE has proposed the establishment of an independent body to audit the quantity of the cement used in ready-mixed concrete.

Peter Tyrrell, regional director of the RMC Group, said his company is working with Rashed Ahmed Rashed and the UAE Contractors Association to establish a sub-committee to evolve a set of guidelines for the industry.

Kuwait vows $20m for Lebanon

Kuwait City: Kuwait has pledged another $20 million for the development of South Lebanon, in addition to a $35 million loan for highway construction. The $20 million gift is meant to build 850 homes for Lebanese whose houses were destroyed during Israel's 22-year occupation of South Lebanon.

The $35 million loan will be used to construct a length of highway connecting Beirut with provincial Arab areas via Damascus.

Panel to solve disputes mooted

Dubai: The UAE Contractors Association will start drafting a mechanism for settling disputes among engineers, following its move to set up a conciliation panel to resolve problems among professionals in the construction sector. The panel, to be set up within a month, will consist of members selected on the basis of 13 criteria, with various levels of experience in settling disputes.

Dubai spends $2.6bn on roads

Dubai: Dubai spent a total of Dh9.5 billion ($2.59 billion) on road and sewage projects between 1982 and 1999, and will be spending close to Dh1.38 billion on further developments this year, Dubai Municipality director general Qassim Sultan said.

A total of Dh970.4 million would be spent on new roads, while sewage network projects would cost Dh412 million.