Unions warned of possible job losses yesterday as the Government unveiled plans to reform the 2,100-strong Architectural Services Department to act as a strategic building advisory unit.
The reform, which has been in the pipeline for more than a year after a business review, will see significant outsourcing to the private sector.
The department is now the sole agent to design, build and maintain most government structures.
There are more than 100 architects and the remaining employees are engineers, surveyors, site foremen and technical and clerical officers.
According to the initial proposal, up to 90 per cent of professional and technical projects approved since September will be outsourced, while 80 to 100 per cent of maintenance projects will be contracted out.
Internal staff now handle about 70 per cent of projects.
