The Fiji Masters Builders Association and the Consumer Council of Fiji will work together and liaise with the Fijian Government to create legislation to protect consumers.

Their aim is to see all construction companies registered and licensed for the first time.

Fiji Masters Builders Association President Vijay Naidu says licensing construction companies will give customers the assurance that their hard-earned money will not go to bogus contractors.

“Licensing will help however we need to get our act together in terms of the building industry as well as the construction industry council as well as the consumer council. We will get together and lobby Government to enact an act of Parliament as soon as they can. Basically licensing builders or giving us some sort of an authority in the industry to go and license builders.”

Naidu says once the companies are licensed, they can join the association and their details can be made available online.

Meanwhile, Consumer Council Chief Executive Premila Kumar says construction companies are not licensed or regulated and some are not fulfilling the expectations of their customers.