Budget constraints cripple ARC

The Architects Registration Council (ARC) cannot fully execute its operational needs as far as regulation is concerned due to budgetary constraints.

Sithabile Mathe – ARC Chairperson – told journalists in Gaborone on Wednesday that the council mainly sustains its operations from funds made from the registration activities by the members.

Mathe also revealed that ARC also receives annual subvention from Government to boost up its purse but the funds were not enough to sustain the council’s operations in a year.

“An inadequate financial resource is the major impediment that has negatively impacted on the operational desires of the council. This includes the inability to effectively implement decisions of the council, inability to regulate optimally in midst of high non-compliance,” Mathe charged.

To address the issue of inadequate financial base, she said, the council is working on developing its strategy document that will formulate initiatives intended for raising funds.

Mathe is also confident that adopting a deliberate strategic direction will enable efficient utilisation or administration of the nominal finances that ARC possesses.

Some of the existing interventions tha ARC has formulated to generate efficient funds, Mathe averred, include the annual gala dinner and Framework for the Delivery of Architectural services.

Commenting on the compliance aspect, ARC chairperson expressed concern over the high continuous disregard of the regulation by some professionals who still operate illegally now.

She attributed non-compliance to the idea that the profession has not been regulated for a long time as this allowed anyone who aspired to be an Architect to be one without any regulations.

“It is in this regard that we find some people are unwilling to register and continue to defy the supplies of the law. Clients, being in the private, corporates, property developers and even the government entities still procure the Architectural services from persons not registered with the council,” Mathe regretted saying it is beneficial for clients to engage fully complying companies.

According to Mathe, the council has received a total of 438 applications for the Certificate of the Registration but only 250 of those have been fully approved and registered.

Of the registered applicants 198 comprise Architects, 40 are Architectural Technologists, eight (8) Architectural Draftspersons and four (4) as Architects under the provision of Temporary registrations.

Some registered members of the ARC vented out frustrations on how the non-complying companies continue to benefit the big projects either through forgery and corruption. Members have proposed that stern action be taken against the professionals who continue to practice outside the regulations as they cost them business opportunities too.

The Architects Registration Council (ARC) was established by an Act of Parliament-Cap.61:08, in 2008 to initially provide only for the registration of the practicing Architects back then. In 2014 the Act was then amended so as to provide for the recognition and registration of Architectural Technologists and Architectural Draftspersons hence regulating the profession too.