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Use Excavation Sydney To Kick-Start Building Project

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Use Excavation Sydney To Kick-Start Building Project

By: Wilhelmina Thomas
Posted: Feb 24, 2011

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With the help of the expert services of Excavation Sydney, property building owners can go ahead with their building projects in a systematic and organized way. Such companies have the required equipment to demolish old property and clear all rubble so that a new structure can be built in its place.

Expert Services

Whenever a new structure has to be built in place of an old one there are many areas that need to be looked into. After permission to demolish the old structure has been acquired, the major work of actually demolishing it has to start. This should be done systematically by utilising the   expert services offered by Excavation Sydney. They have the necessary equipment and ensure that the building is demolished carefully without destroying neighbouring property or causing any accident.

Sometimes only a part of the structure may require to be demolished in which case, suitable equipment is used by Demolition Services Sydney so that the entire structure is not broken down. Once the structure is broken as desired, the next task is to clear the rubble, so that new work can start in its place. Appropriate equipment is required for this work so that all the damaged material can be disposed off in the right manner without causing any harm to the environment.

Need For Protective Gear

Appropriate head gear and protective clothes need to be worn by Excavation Sydney workers employed at such sites so that they do not get exposed to harmful material like asbestos and lead. It is essential to ensure that after a structure has been demolished, all toxic metals are removed and disposed off at the right place and there are no traces of toxic metals in the area.

Training Is Essential

One can opt for the expert services of Excavators Sydney who have several years experience in demolishing different structures. Being reliable, they have the necessary heavy equipment to carry out this work and also have experience in demolishing different kinds of commercial and residential structures.

Most reputed companies have their own website where you can get information on the kind of work they undertake. Clients can contact them at the phone numbers or email addresses given on the website. One can also read the reviews of clients who have used the services of Demolition Sydney by visiting their website.

It is very important to select a reliable company as no property builder would like an accident to occur during such dangerous work. Only reputed companies like Excavation Sydney ensure that employees who operate the heavy equipment are properly protected and use necessary head gear and face gear when undertaking such work. When opting for the services of Excavators Hire Sydney, it is essential to check if the company has the necessary equipment to detect the presence of toxic chemicals at the site.

There should be well trained manpower to operate heavy equipment and drive the enormous trucks which are required for demolition work. Even while clearing the debris, all workers need adequate body and head gear so that they are not exposed to toxic materials like asbestos and lead which may be present at the demolition site.  By choosing expert Excavation Sydney services, any builder can start his dream project at the earliest.

Wilhelmina Thomas – About the Author:

Choose reliable Excavation Sydney services for proper demolition of previous residential or commercial structures. Utilise the expert services of Excavators Sydney for proper disposal of rubble and unwanted material.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/project-management-articles/use-excavation-sydney-to-kick-start-building-project-4298450.html

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Article Tags:
excavation sydney, excavators sydney, demolition sydney, excavators hire sydney

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Understanding New House Building Stages for Construction of a New House

1 Choose Your New House Building Site
When prospecting for a building site to build your new house choose the site with the assistance of a general contractor, real estate agent, architect, or engineer.

2 Have Your Designer Design Your House Plans
The architectural team will draw up your home plans to meet state and local regulations.

3 Review the House Plans
The architect reviews the home building plans and schedules with the clients.

4 Obtain Permits
The architect or home builder applies for the necessary building permits

5 Land Clearing
The excavator uses heavy equipment to clear the land of trees, shrubbery, and brush and a driveway access is created to your home building site.

6 House Layout
A general contractor or engineer layouts out the home location.

7 Installation of Septic, Well and other Utilities Begins
Utility installation often begins now although your project coordinator may leave these items toward the end of the home construction.

8 Excavation
Excavators and heavy equipment begin the excavation preparing the land for the footings.

9 House Footings
The general contractor or the mason contractor pours the footings. In heavy populated areas your footing contractor may be a subcontractor for the foundation wall contractor.

9 Foundation Walls
Two common foundation wall types are block foundation and poured concrete foundation walls. Your concrete floor is commonly poured after the forms are stripped for the foundation walls.

10 Back-fill
The excavator back-fills after the foundation walls are poured. Some contractors prefer to have the floor joists set prior to this back-fill to tie the walls together.

11 House Floor Framing
Carpenters or a framing crew frame the floor joists and apply decking material to the floor joists.

12 Wall Framing
Carpenters or framers build exterior walls. Interior walls are often constructed at this stage although the interior partition walls may also be built after the roof is framed.

13 Roof Framing
The carpenter now frames the roof complete with sheathing. The walls may also be sheathed at this point if they were not sheathed during the wall framing stage. Decorative rakes and fascia boards may be added at this stage if adding a little extra style to your home is desired.

14 Framing Inspection
Your building inspector inspects all phrases of construction at this point. Be sure to review the inspection schedule with your local building inspector as there may be many additional inspections required prior to this.

15 Roofing
When the home is ready for the roofing, the general contractor or the roofing contractor apply the shingles. Asphalt, fiberglass, cedar, and slate shingles are options with metal shingles and metal panels becoming increasingly popular.

16 Window and Exterior Door Installation
Carpenters now install your windows and exterior doors. If you choose to go with an exterior (rigid) insulation to increase the R-value of your home this will be installed after the window and exterior door installation.

17 Siding Installation
The builder or siding contractor now applies the siding for your new home. Popular options include vinyl, aluminum, and cedar siding. When incorporating vinyl and cedar siding adding a decorative shake style siding for the gables is becoming increasingly popular.

18 HVAC Work
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) is now installed. In some areas the HVAC contractor may be the same as the plumbing contractor.

19 Plumbing Installation
At this point in the construction process the plumber installs the rough plumbing.

20 Electrical
The electrical contractor now installs the rough electrical work including the breaker panel, wiring and boxes.

21 Insulation
The insulation contractor or the general contractor insulates the walls. The ceiling is also insulated in vaulted areas if there is no attic access to this area. The ceiling is more commonly insulated after the drywall stage with blown in insulation.

22 Drywall Installation
A drywall contractor which may be your general contractor now installs your drywall. Drywall is also commonly referred to as Sheetrock or gypsum wall board.

23 Drywall Finishing
The drywallers tape the joints with drywall compound after the drywall is installed. They then apply up to 2 additional coats of drywall compound over the tape and corner beads.

24 Painting
Wall painting may be accomplished at this stage, or be completed after the finish trim installation.

25 Cabinet and Finish Trim Installation
The finish carpenter now installs the cabinets and trim boards including the baseboard and window casing. Decorative crown moldings remain popular in kitchen and dining rooms.

26 Flooring Installation
There are many popular flooring styles to choose from. Having a variety of finished floor styles is very common with the flooring styles including laminate, vinyl, hardwood, and tile flooring.

27 Finish Plumbing
The finish plumbing includes setting the sink, bath fixtures, showers, tubs, and toilets.

28 Finish Electrical
The electrician completes the finish electrical work at this time including installing the outlets, switches, and light fixtures.

29 Finish HVAC
The cover plates are now installed over the registers and air returns for the HVAC system. If a fireplace is desired in your home your HVAC contractor often installs fireplaces with the quote for the HVAC work.

30 Final Concrete Work
The driveway and final concrete work include the sidewalks, optional concrete front porch, garage floor, and pads for hot tubs.

31 Deck
Deck construction now takes place by the general contractor. Hot tubs are often incorporated into deck designs. Be sure to discuss the potential placement of a hot tub onto your deck with your contractor as the immense weight requires additional framing stipulations.

32 Landscaping
The landscapers plant shrubs and trees with the grass or sod for your new lawn to add a finishing touch.

Razing the Cottage

With new house plans and permits in hand, subcontractors hired
and a Septic Design in process, it was now time to raze the
existing cottage. I considered employing the local fire
department to burn it down, however I chose the demolition route
instead. Though I did not contact the Fire Department, I was
convinced that this route would have led to multiple delays and
pitfalls, as I would have been at the whim of several town
employees and weather conditions. The demolition route required
only the excavator subcontractor and had less weather related
schedule risks. In addition, the demolition cost and effort was
very reasonable. Within two days, it was as if the cottage never
existed on the land. It is important to note, however, that the
cottage was relatively small. It was 22′ x 30′. If the cottage
had been significantly larger, then the Fire Department route
may have made more financial sense.

The demolition effort itself basically consisted of three parts.
First, all of the furniture and appliances needed to be removed.
Most of these items were old and musty and were not worth
saving. Next, the excavator used a large backhoe and tore apart
and crushed the building into small pieces. Finally, the
excavator loaded the debris into several 20 cubic yard
dumpsters, which were then hauled away by a dumpster company.
Finding the appropriate dumpster company was a little bit of a
challenge, as there are strict regulations on the disposing of
certain home construction material. In addition, the dumpster
costs can dramatically increase depending on how far away their
facilities are from the construction/destruction site.

Breaking Ground

After the cottage was razed, and the stakes were placed
outlining the boundary of the new home, it was time to break
ground. This was a very exciting time as my dream was about to
begin to take shape. I was building a large contemporary home
with a wall of windows facing the lake front. Admittedly it was
only a hole in the ground, but this hole represented the rough
footprint of my future house. Seeing the hole, I could begin to
more easily visualize my future home.

Digging out the hole and preparing the site for a foundation is
one of the most critical aspects of building a new home. As a
result, I spent several occasions with both the Excavator and
Foundation subcontractors reviewing the house plans and the site
prior to, and during the excavation. It was imperative that all
of us were on the same page to ensure that the foundation walls,
with all its jogs and step ups/downs would be located and
installed per the plans. During these meetings a few adjustments
were necessary to the foundation plans, however with all the
team members involved the changes were minor and absolutely
necessary. The changes helped prevent more serious problems
later on and ensured that the outside aesthetics of the home
were maintained.

As I already indicated, the foundation is extremely important to
any quality home. If the foundation is not built upon a solid
footing, nor constructed of the appropriate concrete strength,
the foundation walls will crack in short order. These cracks can
lead to water in the basement, settling in the framing, and
eventually cracks in the finished walls and ceilings.
Consequently, it is imperative that the excavation site not only
be properly dug out, but also backfilled with crushed stone and
sand to provide for a stable base and to enable proper drainage
underneath and around the home. In my case I had the excavator
dig out sufficiently to enable 18″ of crushed stone to be
backfilled into the hole and still meet my foundation plan
requirements.

Once the site was prepared for concrete, the foundation crew
installed concrete footings 18″ wide and 12″ deep. In addition
they installed several cement footings in the middle of the
house footprint for lally columns. The footings represent the
base of the home and support the concrete foundation walls and
the home itself. Due to the fact that it was winter, Calcium
Chloride was used as an accelerator to speed the curing time of
the concrete. In addition water had pooled in a portion of the
hole, so constant pumping was necessary during the curing time.

After a couple of days, the foundation crew installed forms for
the concrete walls. A day later the foundation walls were
poured. Three days later the forms were removed and the
foundation walls were in. I then had my excavator subcontractor
return. After tarring the outer walls, just up to the level of
where the finished grade would be, he installed a perimeter
drain around the foundation and then backfilled the foundation
with clean sand and fill. It is important that boulders and clay
not be used as backfill material. Boulders can crack the
foundation walls while being pushed into place, and clay can
lead to improper drainage around the home.

With the foundation in and backfilled I was ready for framers.

The Framing Stage

The framing stage is probably the most exciting part of building
a home. In a relatively short period of time, literally days, a
house begins to take real form. Within less than a week knee
walls were up, floor joists were installed and a plywood
sub-floor was down. After a couple of weeks, the first floor
walls were up and ceiling joists were being installed. I was so
impressed I was convinced my new home was a month ahead of
schedule. Boy was I wrong.

Before I elaborate on my misconception I should jump back for a
minute. While the excavation work went on, I was also engaged
with the Framing subcontractor. The Framing subcontractor needed
to order framing material including lumber, doors and windows,
shingles and siding. Inevitably there were issues with the
availability of material and delivery dates, and as a result, we
spent a fair amount of time resolving these issues. Fortunately,
due to constant communication and quick problem solving we were
able to have the initial delivery of lumber arrive on the site
within a day after the backfilling of the foundation.

It is important to note, that it is at this time of the project
that the large outlays of money begin to occur. Lumber costs for
a home construction are quite large, and final payments are due
to the Excavator and Foundation subcontractors.
Excavation/Sitework and Foundation installations are a
significant portion of the cost of building a home. In addition,
the Framing subcontractor requires a portion of his labor to be
paid in advance.

Also, it is very important that Homeowner Construction Insurance
be obtained prior to the construction phase. This insurance
protects the Homeowner/Builder against material theft and job
injuries. All of your subcontractors and their employees should
be insured but don’t count on it. During any building project,
subcontractors are bound to hire extra help for short stints and
I would be surprised if these temporary employees were added to
the subcontractor’s insurance policy. The homeowner/builder
insurance policy is small change compared to the risk of theft
or the threat of injury lawsuits.

As I indicated earlier, I was in for a surprise with the framing
phase of my home. As mentioned, the initial framing moved
quickly. However it was still winter and frequent snow storms
and extremely cold weather began to hit. This dramatically
slowed progress. In addition, with the fresh supply of snow it
quickly became apparent that my framing crew had an affinity to
snowmobiling. So even on the sunny days my framing crew was
frequently absent. No matter my level of complaining or prodding
I was unable to control my framing subcontractor’s work ethic.

Consequently, I had to contact my plumbing, electric, and
fireplace subcontractors to inform them of the delay. This was
extremely painful to have to do, as I had no definitive date on
when I would actually need them and each of them had very full
calendars. As a result, to be able to call them at the last
minute and expect for them to drop what they were doing to come
to work on my project was highly unlikely. Again, through
regular communication with these other subcontractors I was able
to mitigate some of this problem, however my project did
experience significant schedule slips due to my framing crews
shenanigans.

In retrospect, I am not sure what I could have done to have
prevented this problem. Reference checks on the Framing
subcontractor had been positive. I guess I should have asked
what his hobbies were and made sure they did not correspond to
the season I wanted the work done. It is also a fact that
unexpected things do happen on any project and one should expect
it and plan accordingly. For example, put some contingency
dollars and schedule into your project for events such as mine.
Also, I can not stress enough to establish a rapport and regular
communication channel with all of your subcontractors. Do not
assume anything during a project of this size.

To Be Continued ….

In Part 3 of “Building Your Dream House”, the Framing continues
and Rough Electric and Plumbing begin. Stay tuned……………

Swimming pools are some of the most beautiful additions to any backyard. It is necessary to hire a swimming pool contractor because building an in ground swimming pool is a very complicated process. Steps need to be followed and proper procedure needs to be followed to ensure your swimming pool will last for years. This short overview of swimming pool building will outline the steps and should make you understand why you need to hire a reliable swimming pool contractor to complete the building process. We will take you through excavation, steel, plumbing, electrical, gunite, tile, and finishing your swimming pool.

The first step to any swimming pool building project is the excavation of the swimming pool area. The area of your pool is sketched out first using construction spray paint and cones are places around the area. A large backhoe will make its way into your backyard to begin the excavation process. There is usually one backhoe operator and workers manually digging out the excavation site as well. During this phase, dump trucks will be coming and going from your property to dump the soil and excavated material. The issues that can happen during this stage are as follows: the excavators could run into thick rock, heavy equipment could ruin your driveway, your yard may be inaccessible (in which case trees or debris need to be removed). This last point is the most important point with excavation as the more open the area is, the easier the excavation will be which will keep your costs down.

When the swimming pool is excavated, it’s time for the steel or rebar to be bent and put in place in the excavated hole. This is a very important step as the rebar holds the form of the swimming pool, braces the walls, and holds back the water. The steel needs to be thick enough to withstand this weight and needs to be arranged in an appropriate interlocking form for the highest efficiency and reliability. The thickest parts of the rebar are around the base of pool where the walls meet the floor, around the center of the swimming pool, and around the top border of the swimming pool. Also, if you have ledges, steps, love seats, etc, they are also formed by rebar at this time. There will be a team of pool contractors on site that will bend the rebar and weld the rebar into place.

Once the rebar is in place, it is time to run the plumbing and electricity to your swimming pool to power any swimming pool lights you have decided to install. The pool is fitted for skimmers, filters, jets, fluorescent lights, fiber optic lights, halogen lights, etc. This is a raw pipe fitting process. The finished plumbing end electric process take place after the gunite is sprayed and in place. This brings the swimming pool installation process to the next phase, the gunite.

When your pool is framed with the plumbing and the electricity, it is time to shoot gunite into your swimming pool. If you are not familiar with the term gunite, also known as shotcrete is a spray able 4000 pound high yield concrete that is sprayed into the rebar of the swimming pool. This process is very messy and usually takes about a day to finish. There will be a team of anywhere from 4 – 7 pool contractors during this phase. There is usually a person spraying the concrete and the rest of the crew is responsible for smoothing and forming the concrete. The gunite is sprayed from the top of the swimming pool down to the center of the pool.

When the gunite is dry and ready, usually after a few days until it has initially cured, it is time to tile the inside of the swimming pool, install coping around the top of the swimming pool, and plaster around the swimming pool. There are many different types of tiling, styles of coping, and styles of plaster coating – some have warranties longer than others. Also, during this phase, the plumbing that was set in place before the gunite will be connected to the pumps and chemical equipment, any electrical wiring will be completed and finished, and any decking will be installed around the swimming pool.

The last step of swimming pool building is the best step, filling the swimming pool and swimming in your swimming pool. The entire pool building process as described above takes 2 – 3 weeks to complete. As you can see through the steps, the process is very complicated and you need to hire a swimming pool contractor you can trust.

Underpinning is a method used to increase the foundation depth. This may be done in case a developer wants to add more storeys to a building. Also the foundation could be damaged by tree roots and thus this method used for correction. The adjacent construction may have foundations lower than the existing thus requiring to be lowered. If basements are constructed very near an existing building, the foundation may need to be changed. The reason is for stability of the existing house. Cracks may appear in a building up to the base thus needing a foundation remedy.

The underpinning in foundations may be undertaken and but supervised by an engineer. This works should follow instructions keenly for safety. Before any commencement, of work the area of operation should be hoarded. The works take from excavation to finishes approximately a month to complete. The area to work on is measured and mapped out. The work should commence from the corners working inwards. This is done on load bearing walls only. Foundations without any load bearing walls are exempted. The defects on these walls can be corrected using most simple methods.

The underpinning in foundations starts with excavations. This should be done under a strip footing. A length of one meter, a width of half a meter and depth of half a meter pit is dug. This is done in stages of two meters. This is distance between the pits. After the excavations, mass concrete is added to the cavity. Mixes are one part cement, three parts sand and six parts aggregates. Concrete is made to a good consistence and is poured into the cavity. Use form work on the edges. Use a rod bar ensuring that the cavity under the existing foundation is filled up.

After the underpinning concrete is placed in the cavity, its allowed to set for two days. The operation is repeated for the next bay. This continues until the required foundation is complete. Ensure that the concrete is cured thoroughly before loading it. The next thing is to break off the projecting foundation. Cut the concrete flush with the mass concrete surface. after this is completed for all the bays, soil is then back filled and compacted thoroughly. Watering with a hose is done for consolidation of the soil. This is done upon completion of the work.

Underpinning is a method used to increase the foundation depth. This may be done in case a developer wants to add more storeys to a building. Also the foundation could be damaged by tree roots and thus this method used for correction. The adjacent construction may have foundations lower than the existing thus requiring to be lowered. If basements are constructed very near an existing building, the foundation may need to be changed. The reason is for stability of the existing house. Cracks may appear in a building up to the base thus needing a foundation remedy.

The underpinning in foundations may be undertaken and but supervised by an engineer. This works should follow instructions keenly for safety. Before any commencement, of work the area of operation should be hoarded. The works take from excavation to finishes approximately a month to complete. The area to work on is measured and mapped out. The work should commence from the corners working inwards. This is done on load bearing walls only. Foundations without any load bearing walls are exempted. The defects on these walls can be corrected using most simple methods.

The underpinning in foundations starts with excavations. This should be done under a strip footing. A length of one meter, a width of half a meter and depth of half a meter pit is dug. This is done in stages of two meters. This is distance between the pits. After the excavations, mass concrete is added to the cavity. Mixes are one part cement, three parts sand and six parts aggregates. Concrete is made to a good consistence and is poured into the cavity. Use form work on the edges. Use a rod bar ensuring that the cavity under the existing foundation is filled up.

After the underpinning concrete is placed in the cavity, its allowed to set for two days. The operation is repeated for the next bay. This continues until the required foundation is complete. Ensure that the concrete is cured thoroughly before loading it. The next thing is to break off the projecting foundation. Cut the concrete flush with the mass concrete surface. after this is completed for all the bays, soil is then back filled and compacted thoroughly. Watering with a hose is done for consolidation of the soil. This is done upon completion of the work.

can I use a Bobcat MT55 or do I need a mini excavator?

Building construction equipments vary from the heavy, large equipment to the mobile, lighter equipment.

Hydraulic excavators, cranes, and concrete mixers are among the basic, hardworking equipments that any building construction company cannot function with.

Hydraulic Excavators

Hydraulic Excavators (also known as diggers or earth movers) are extremely large equipments utilized for multiple operations. They are utilized in applications such as construction of large structures and roads as well as in the mining industry. As one of the first equipment to be applied for readying the construction place, excavators level the land by burrowing and cutting ground. Hydraulic excavators are very functional for certain confined work sites which are less receptive to traditional construction equipment.

The excavator is made up of four basic parts-hydraulic cylinders, arm, bucket, and boom-all involved in loading and excavating. Interestingly, their movement is similar to that of a human arm. The boom acts similar to the upper part of an arm, together with shoulder and elbow. The excavator’s arm’s movement is likened to a human arm beginning at the elbow to the wrist. And, the bucket is likened to a cupped hand.

Hydraulic excavators consists of loaders, tippers and crawlers (bulldozers). A crawler is a very robust tractor fitted with a dozer blade. Most excavators feature crawlers since they’re more functional for operations on mud-covered, rough terrains as compared to wheeled ones.

Cranes

Cranes are equipped with pulleys and levers to haul up and lower sizeable weights. Basically, a crane has a telescopic boom or steel truss that hoists its portable base. Both the levers or pulleys lift the boom, and the boom typically has a hook hanging on it. There are several kinds of cranes including loader cranes and tower cranes. Loader cranes feature hydraulic power booms attached onto trailers. Booms load up materials onto the trailer and may be collapsed after use. Certain types of loader cranes feature telescopic boom for easy operation. Tower cranes are usually the tallest of all cranes. However, they do not feature portable base and parts need to be assembled. These cranes are largely applied to build tall structures and skyscrapers. Primarily exploited for the cutting down of workload, cranes can also perform lots of jobs including moving, digging and creating.

Concrete mixers or processors

Concrete mixers or processors are powered equipment used for mixing cement, water, sand, and gravel to create concrete. A concrete mixer is made up of a rotating drum, a motor, and a trough. The elements applied to create concrete whirls around thus mixing everything consistently.

Concrete processors come in various sizes from the extremely large industrial mixing truck to the smaller, handy concrete mixer. A small concrete mixer is ample for smaller amounts of concrete, up to 2 cubic yards. It’s normally run by electricity and features a wheeled base for easier transfer. Its drum can be tilted at an angle so that concrete can be easily dispensed onto the spot that needs to be cemented. A large industrial concrete mixer truck on the other hand, is applied for mixing as well as carrying big amounts of concrete for use on a construction place. These mixers are computer encoded for constant, accurate mix.

Technology indeed creates modern construction equipment to function efficiently, dependably and quickly.

Sierra Leone: Building on an Export-Sector-Led Economy By Kenday S. Kamara, October 4, 2008

Export sector development has become one of the most discussed issues in Sierra Leone’s development politics. The previous administration of Tejan Kabbah introduced some credible initiatives to promote Sierra Leone’s export trade worth pointing out. The investment code enacted in 2004 could actually increase visibility for Sierra Leone’s progress in creating an environment conducive to investment and poverty reduction if properly utilized. Empowering SLEDIC (Sierra Leone Export Development and Investment Corporation) as a “one-stop-shop” parastatal that simplifies business registration and minimizes transactions cost was also of strategic importance. But years of mismanagement of opportunities stifled the successful implementation of these initiatives. Today, however, there is reason to believe that commitment in implementing export sector development initiatives with the APC-led administration of Ernest Koroma can change.

Vast stretches of arable lands and abundance in mineral resources offer a natural comparative advantage for agricultural and technological development in Sierra Leone. The right commitment, in other words, can greatly square President Koroma’s goal of making government work in Sierra Leone.

The prognosis in Sierra Leone’s politics of self destruction has been hopelessly grim for decades. The country has consistently suffered decades of severe economic hardship and struggling with chronic problems of corruption and a broken management system at national proportions. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has not looked good for decades and the country has consistently ranked very low in the United Nations’ assessments of countries’ human development indices. It might make sense for the new APC administration to be serious about government, commit to a selfless agenda of national development, and expect the best to come out of Sierra Leone. But the commitment to change the pervading prognosis of systematic mismanagement of resources can even be now much more promising than it has been since the APC is being given a second chance, and President Koroma living up to the high standard of expectations Sierra Leoneans have for his government. Apparently, Sierra Leoneans have lost every patience and all they want to see is a government that can build on a pattern of positive change for sustained development.

The last one year Koroma has been in power has brought major changes in the underlying strategic calculus facing Sierra Leone’s governance system – an ACC made stronger, emphasis on performance and fiscal responsibility in public office, and creating new, more positive development dynamics and incentives.  And these developments can be made sustainable with the vast potential in agricultural and technological development. Insisting on excellence in public service and emphasis in export sector development initiatives developed within the framework of the trade agreements and the WTO trade rules that apply to international trade will work under the new conditions in Sierra Leone. President Koroma has shown praiseworthy commitment to “unite both the private and public sectors for a well-ordered society and economic progress”, a position made clear at a private sector forum at the British Council which State House convened in conjunction with the Sierra Leone Business Forum”. However, the laudable efforts of the president require a sustained commitment that supports a liberalized trading system to promote trade and diversify exports.

Both to build on the export sector development initiatives started by Kabbah and to introduce new dynamics, any commitment to good governance, now that the mechanisms of democracy are in place, should be reassuring and taken seriously.

Enabling Environment

Most countries have a mental image of Sierra Leone that is defined by the chaos of a society overrun by corrupt politicians and business people. But Sierra Leone can be made a very different place than for what it was known. Overall development can make paramount the pursuit of accountable, transparent and corruption-free policies to ensure a carefully sequenced opening up of investment opportunities in the country. The effort towards establishing mutual recognition agreements for agricultural exports with other market countries can greatly impact Sierra Leone’s export development sector. The Ministries of Agriculture, Marine Resources, Mineral Resources, Foreign Affairs, Trade and SLEDIC have a role to play. They have to create the environment to attract major investments to develop Sierra Leone’s cottage industries and raise the quality of products made in Sierra Leone. There are certain things the government can also do such as:

· identify and enhance divestiture of state-owned enterprises;

· augment the liberalization of trade and exchange rate, deregulation of prices, strengthening of fiscal management and domestic resource mobilization, and elimination of subsidies (especially on petroleum products and the staple food, rice);

· streamline and facilitate the process for exports by eliminating duplication and ensuring coordination between Government provided services to the export industry; and

· sustained support to the agricultural sector.

In the same token, small and medium-sized enterprises are key drivers of the economy. Helping them to develop is a reaffirmation of the fundamentals of trade sector development which include the establishment of export processing zone, provision of micro finance, and reactivation of skills training centers.

These are remarkable trends that are in sync with trends in facilitating the development of value added products for accessing markets in the United States and Europe through the United States African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the European Union’s Everything But Arms (EBA) Initiatives; and formulating transparent investment guidelines.

Sustainable rural development programs that support supply side resources available for export which are in the rural sector and the development of these resources shall also see benefits occur in the development of viable income for the rural sector. The government’s role in facilitating development of the infrastructure for clean water, healthcare, roads, electricity and telecommunications is critical. The European Union, the World Bank and other international development agencies are partners in development for Sierra Leone. The government has to show a sustained responsibility and commitment to cooperate with these world institutions.

Export sector development, and especially its emphasis on enabling investment opportunities for the development of small and medium enterprises and raising standards in product development, will enable the growth of the Sierra Leone economy. Agriculture, combined with financial resources generated from the country’s vast mineral resource base and a strong export sector development knowledge of what standards are required to compete in the global market, will essentially drive Sierra Leone’s engine of growth.

Essentially also, access to information is fundamental to the development of a viable private sector. The private sector needs to know what is out there and how to capitalize on the market access agreements available. To reaffirm its responsibility and commitment, the Government needs to leverage technology to make available such information. A combination of business training and development programs and the one-stop approach to ensuring coherence in private sector development shall result in the sustainability of available resources.

Further, agriculture and fisheries are areas if enabled can quickly develop an export led economy. The APC-led administration seems to recognize this. A successful example of this is the boost in fishery exports since last year when the APC was voted in. The Ministry of Marine Resources (one of the country’s highest employers with over 100,000 employees for those in marketing and processing marine resources and 30,000 employees for local fishing communities) generated Le1,196.42 billion from October to November 2007; Le1.2 billion in December 2007 and Le1.7 billion in January, 2008.  In spite of the persistent pirating by fishing vessels traversing Sierra Leone’s territorial waters, the Ministry has managed to conserve the country’s marine resources and to avoid depletion that has seen stable profitable growth in the sector.

A national export strategy (NES) can be fully developed as part of the Ministry of Finance budget information. Government can support the aggressive expansion of the availability of financing for export development and to assist in the development of standards and regulations of the services sector to provide a base for the export of this sector of the economy. Consistent with what the APC-led administration of Ernest Koroma is trying to do, government should do more to strengthen public-private partnerships and ensure it is never taken for granted.

The private sector can feel appreciated when government can ensure the participation of the private sector in high-level diplomatic missions, assisting companies in accessing trade shows and markets internationally. The ability to access distribution channels for exporters cannot be over-stated as high level missions can open doors that the individual companies cannot open. The opportunity to gain exposure in overseas markets is an underutilized initiative and needs to be strengthened.

Moreover, developing a database/register of customary land based on clear standards of ownership of land is also fundamental to Sierra Leone’s export economy. The net result of all this would be a profound change in the underlying strategic calculus in the APC administration’s commitment to drive economic development in Sierra Leone – building on the essence of an export-led economy which creates jobs and promotes a stable and progressively developing Sierra Leone.  It is worth noting that a combination of initiatives to drive an export-led economy is chief driver of sustained economic development. Much of the country’s GDP remains underutilized but shows great potential. And whereas an export-led economy argument implies that GDP increases are realized, a national export strategy that encompasses all the initiatives of the previous administration and evolving new ideas can be fully integrated in a well articulated national export strategy.

Supply Side Potential

If the APC administration and its leaders are to keep Sierra Leone moving toward economic stability, they must still overcome a range of supply-specific challenges that need to be developed to meet the standards of the global market. These challenges promise to be generally less daunting with the right leadership resolve to drive change, and where resolve is lacking they could still make worse the severe economic woes of the country. Sierra Leone may still rank last in the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI), but as, Dmitry Titov, Assistant Secretary-General of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) puts it, Sierra Leone’s prospects of moving forward and boosting its socio-economic situation is ‘hopeful” (Scoop World Independent News). Achieving this, however, will be the responsibility of the country’s leadership to guide an export-sector-led economy and to develop such economy to meet the standards of the global market. There are a good number of supply-specific areas that can be developed, but it is worth highlighting some of the most important.

First, there is the challenge of developing the country cloth and garments market. This is possible with a garment training center or other body established with industry standards either established through SLEDIC or the Ministry of Trade. The possibilities of a garment training center should be a critical element in growing the garment industry in Sierra Leone. With major production enhanced, the need can be simultaneously created to support fashion or trade shows and a greater interaction between the hospitality industry and the garment industry.

Sierra Leone obtained the AGOA Visa for textiles and garments in April 2004 and that should be an excellent tool for exploring export opportunities available as well as through other initiatives such as those afforded through the European Union-African Caribbean and Pacific (EU-ACP) cooperation, World Trade Organization and the economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). A Standards Bureau can help in implementing standards and quality control measures to make Sierra Leonean products competitive.

The Agriculture and Agro-Processing industry is also with great possibilities if it can overcome sanitary, bio-security and technical barriers to trade. Proper agro-processing adds value in the local environment and achieves a market ready product for immediate distribution or sale reducing offshore costs and maximizing returns. Standardized agro-processing facility can assist rural communities by providing a local base for their exports. SLEDIC should provide guidelines on sustainable processing for better market access and should come up with a quality mark for all Sierra Leonean agro-processed products. Identifying tropical products which have combined high returns to the farmer by either having high yield or high returns has the potential of giving farmers the options to look at more innovative plants that can form a basis for value adding.

Catalyst large farms can provide consistent volumes that can then be used to coalesce the many small community landholdings into a reliable consistent sustainable supplier of produce. More active pest eradication and assessment programs are necessary to build faith in agricultural supplies from Sierra Leone.  Also looking at organic farming as a future for Sierra Leone and as a niche market with high value with government providing certification will have an added virtue of sparking an agricultural boom and thereby helping reduce unemployment. And with standards provided for the output of agricultural products, farmers and exporters would clearly understand the export needs of the different markets.

Effectively managed agricultural support measures such as the provision of machinery and improved seedlings to farmers and farming communities is expected to help not only in achieving Government’s goal of food security but also encouraging crop diversification for both domestic consumption and export. With support from partners notably UNDP, FAO and the ADB considerable improvement has been made in the agricultural sector with the establishment of more than 130,000 Agricultural Business Units (ABUs) in the rural areas that account for the anticipated increase in agricultural production. These are existing facilities that can be further developed and adequately utilized.

Value adding through drying or smoking as well as packaging should be a priority for the fishing industry as another export sector development possibility. Facilities to handle fishing vessels need upgrade and aquaculture practices developed to meet global standards in fisheries development.

Credible policy reforms in the mining sector are important for sustaining improved minerals production. Modern mining operations require substantial investments. The ability of existing indigenous operators to modernize their operations depends on the availability of foreign investments to acquire the necessary hardware and expertise. What could be done is to promote the effective organization of cooperative joint ventures with owners of diamondiferous lands whose lands could be used as collaterals to secure the foreign direct investments and/or lines of credit needed to acquire modern mining equipment like bulldozers, excavators, front-end loaders, draglines, etc.

Further, setting up of diamond cutting and polishing stations equipped with workbenches designed for use with diamond cutting fly wheels along with several grinding applications is necessary.  Diamond cutting is the art, skill and, increasingly, science of changing a diamond from a rough stone into a faceted gem. Diamond cutting requires specialized knowledge, tools, equipment, and techniques because of its extreme hardness. The history of diamond cutting and polishing has its origins in India, where it was discovered a long time ago by Indian lapidaries that a diamond could be made to glisten simply by grinding another diamond against it. The setting up of these diamond cutting and polishing stations in Sierra Leone will aid the local diamond trade. The goal is to import diamond polishing skills and technology to Sierra Leone to enable the country to compete with other countries like the United States and India in the diamond processing sector. The Government of Sierra Leone should applaud this initiative since it is emphasizing the need for indigenous Sierra Leoneans to share in the downstream benefit of diamonds.

A final export sector development strategy worth noting is the services sector. At present the country does not have a well supported and regulated consultancy sector which could form the bulk of exports in the services sector. The only sector recognized is the Tourism sector which although important is not the only services sector with opportunities. Sierra Leone shows great potential in a number of areas and this expertise is yet to be developed using Government assistance and there should be an export focus on these areas.

Efficient Production Practices

Firms in Sierra Leone are often unaware of their own inefficiency. Such firms attribute too much of their inability to export to external factors and too little to their lack of efficient production. Import restrictions creating protected domestic markets have given entrepreneurs a false sense of competence. These entrepreneurs are only slowly aware of the critical roles that quality control, price and on-time delivery plays in international markets. Once their eyes are opened to the importance of these factors, access to buyers and technical support focused on production constraints can provide them with the means for lowering costs and raising quality.

Filling in specific service gaps can speed up the private sector response to policy improvements, and can accelerate export growth. With more knowledge and contacts, firms will achieve a higher level of export sales and more firms will enter the market. In short, intervention in the market for export services can be justified based on “infant industry” and “learning by doing” considerations.

Finally, the institutional structure of the export support service entity must fit the type of service provided. Membership-based trade groups, such as exporters associations, have been effective in providing basic information on buyers and foreign markets. But private non-profits or freestanding projects have been more effective in providing customized, firm-specific services. The point is that they often have the autonomy, expertise and flexibility to link firms with appropriate commercial sources of services, such as buyers, suppliers, and investors.

Of course, much could be done by utter commitment of the leaders who should understand and accept the importance of private sector input in the formulation of government trade and general economic policies. The potential of the global marketplace as a source of corporate expansion and economic growth is great. The policy makers have the sublime role to support private companies in seizing the opportunities that an integrated world economy offers – access to foreign capital, new market opportunities and increased trade.  A Trade Policy Review with the support of the World Trade Organization (WTO), substantial deregulation to boost investment and private sector development, will yield a stability that endures as Sierra Leone economic growth is defined.

Credit: Cocorioko Sierra Leone Portal