British Expertise wants to build infratsucture

锘緼 British consultants organisation is planning a mission to form trade contacts with the rebel Libyan administration in Benghazi.

British Expertise, which represents firms including Mott MacDonald, Gleeds and Pell Frischmann, wants to launch a 鈥渟coping mission鈥� to find opportunities to repair war damage and to build infrastructure under a new Libyan government.

Graham Hand, chief executive of British Expertise, said that the trip was at an 鈥渋nternal planning stage鈥� and expected 鈥渋n a few months time鈥�, but would be co-ordinated with the UK government.

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI ) has confirmed that it was in the early stages of discussions with British Expertise over the trip but stressed that no decisions had been taken.

An UKTI spokesperson said: 鈥淲e follow FCO guidance, which is against all travel to Libya. In the fullness of time we will work on a scoping mission to Libya, but it鈥檚 not imminent.鈥�

Hand said that no firms had yet signed up to the trip, which would have Benghazi as the 鈥減rincipal destination鈥� but was sure he would find willing participants. 鈥淚 have confidence that members of British Expertise will be interested,鈥� he said.

Hand stated that while he thought there was some war damage to be repaired, the main task was to help the potential new government build up the country鈥檚 infrastructure.

鈥淭here will be some rehab of the oil and gas supply system, I believe there鈥檚 some damage there. But there isn鈥檛 so much war damage and where there is, it鈥檚 to military installations.

鈥淭here already was a pretty serious infrastructure need but it was always done pretty slowly,鈥� he said, adding that it had usually favoured areas loyal to Gaddafi, such as Tripoli.

Hand said he thought a German delegation, whose government abstained on the UN vote over whether to attack Colonel Gaddafi鈥檚 forces, would not receive the same welcome. 鈥淭here will be respect for these governments trying to free Libya and that will be reflected in respect for British companies.

鈥淵ou have to pay attention to the possibility of being seen as ambulance chasers,鈥� he said.

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