BACKDROP

The Construction Association of Bhutan was institutionalised in January 25, 2000 under the auspicious Chair of the Hon’ble President of the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Dasho Ugen Tsechup Dorji took the rein of the Association as the first President elect, securing 149 votes out of the 189 votes caste under the secret ballot, amongst the seven (7) competing candidate nominees. By July 2002, the Association had a full-fledged Secretariat established in the capital, Thimphu.

HISTORY OF CAB's INCEPTION

Under the aegis of SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI), a regional forum for private sector development in the seven SAARC countries, SAARC Council for Construction Industry (SAARC-CCI) was established in 1999 as a regional forum for development & promotion of construction industry of the SAARC countries at national, regional & international level. The SAARC-CCI notified Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), a member federation in the SCCI, in November 1999 for representation in the council’s 1st meeting scheduled in December 1999 at Khatmandu, Nepal.

In the absence of construction association in Bhutan, BCCI in its 54th Executive Committee Meeting on November 29, 1999 decided to call all Class-A contractors in Bhutan for a meeting within December 15, 1999 to discuss the issue. All Class-A contractors met on December 14, 1999 under the Chairmanship of BCCI’s President and came up with unanimous decision to form “Contractors Association of Bhutan” as a forum to address specific problems and policies related to Bhutanese construction industry at national and regional level. Consequently, resolution was passed by the floor, to call general meeting of all Class A, B & C contractors in January 2000 to discuss “modalities for institution of Contractors Association of Bhutan”

Subsequently, all Class A, B & C contractors met on January 25, 2000 in Thimphu in the conference hall of BCCI. In the meeting members were apprised of the need for forming an association for the benefit of construction industry. It was also highlighted that recently Royal Government felt the need of such association for effective representation. The floor reached a unanimous consensus for establishment of “Contractors Association of Bhutan” to address specific problems and policy issues related to Bhutanese construction industry at national, regional and international level, and endorsed the decision to establish the association. On January 25, 2000 Contractors Association of Bhutan was established for the development & promotion of Bhutanese construction industry. Dasho Ugen Tsechup Dorji took the rein of the Association as the first President elect, securing 149 votes out of the 189 votes caste under the secret ballot, amongst the seven (7) competing candidate nominees. By July 2002, the Association had a full-fledged Secretariat established in the capital, Thimphu. In 2002 on October 10-11 in its 3rd Annual General Meeting, the General Body approved change of name from Contractors Association to Construction Association for meaningful representation and wider coverage of the related industrial entities under the construction sector.   "