A law to regulate the engineering profession and practice and work of engineering consultancies passed yesterday stipulates severe punishment for violations of its provisions.
The law prescribes three-year jail or a fine of QR100,000 for a firm that works without a valid licence.
Licensed firms that are found breaching the provisions of the legislation will face the music as their licences will be suspended.
The law bars Qataris owning engineering consultancies from taking up public sector jobs.
However, Qataris holding a doctorate in engineering and teaching in a university are exempt from this rule. In other words, they could set up consultancies.
The law (Number 2 of 2014) was ratified by the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. It amends some key provisions of a previous law (No. 19) of 2005, QNA reported.
Consultancies are to be licensed for two years while individual engineers’ licences will be valid for three years.
Renewal of licences is to be done within 30 days following their expiry. A fine of QR1,000 per month in the case of individual engineers and QR10,000 for consultancies will be slapped if the renewal is delayed.
No renewal will be allowed after the lapse of three months and a firm or engineer would need to apply afresh for licence after paying the fines.
The law reorganises the committee at the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning that is responsible for registration and classification of engineers and firms.
It will have two members from the ministry, one of whom will head it while the other will be his deputy.
Members will be from the Ministry of Interior (Civil Defence), Qatar Petroleum, Ashghal, Kahramaa, the Ministry of Energy and Industry, and Qatar University.
Licensed engineering firms will have two representatives on the committee, according to the law.
The onus is on the Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning, under the law, to frame executive regulations or by-laws to help enforce the law.
Consultancies doing special government projects are exempt from this law until the time they are engaged in the projects.
The law takes effect after its publication in the official gazette.
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