We marked the election of our latest Honorary Member, Mr. Richard C. Gill with an event held on 26th April, 2024 at the Marriott Hotel, Hastings, Christ Church. This was in recognition of his outstanding contribution to urban and spatial planning in the island.
President of the BTPS, Mrs. Yolanda Alleyne, welcomed the approximately fifty specially invited guests to the outer courtyard meeting space and after some kind introductory words, introduced Senior Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr William Duguid, who gave thorough overview of planning in Barbados and its importance to our orderly development. Minister Duguid skillfully weaved threads of Mr. Gill’s career and contributions into context of planning in Barbados over the years, and thanked Mr. Gill for his outstanding contributions to town planning in Barbados.
After the Minister presented Mr. Gill with his award, Mr. Gill was invited to speak. His historic perspective through participating in key land develop changes before the island’s independence, through the introduction of development control and physical development planning to Barbados was intriguing. He reminisced about memorable experiences over his career, including his public sector experiences on housing areas, highways and historic towns, drawing with a spring bow pen, hanging out of an airplane taking aerial photos, and many interesting projects such as Royal Westmoreland, Sandy Lane, Apes Hill, ABC Highway and Warrens Industrial Park to name a few. View “thank you” speech here.
A generous contribution was made by Mr. Lionel Nurse, former Chief Town Planner and also an Honorary Member of the BTPS, who graciously verified Richard’s outstanding professional character and his contributions with interesting stories and memories of their time working together. See speech text here.
Acting Deputy Director of Planning and Development, Mr. Rudy Headley, then gave a touching account of how Richard had helped him immensely over the years by recommending Newcastle upon Tyne as the right university to complete his Masters degree, having attended himself many years prior. Richard ensured that longtime friends in Newcastle welcomed Rudy and made sure that he settled in and was not alone. A similar experience happened again when Rudy worked in Bermuda, where Richard was able to offer guidance and contacts to help settle in quickly. Rudy generously thanked Richard for being a great friend, a kind mentor and a man with immense professional integrity.
Finally, Richard’s son Andy said a few heart-felt words of congratulations on receiving the Honorary Membership award, and also on his formal retirement from his namesake company, Richard Gill Associates, and professional life after 56 years. Several employees, past and present, were at the gathering and we able to share in the gratitude expressed by Andy for the years of mentorship, kind leadership and generosity towards everyone. See text of speech here.
The event was also attended by other Society members, senior staff of the Planning & Development Department, family members and close friends, other development-related professionals and several clients and other working colleagues. By unanimous consent, the event was highly enjoyed and even considered overdue by some for such a true stalwart and pioneer of planning in Barbados.
Exciting news! Barbados will be hosting the 2022 Caribbean Urban Forum (CUF) Conference and it will be held from 15th-17th June, 2022 as a hybrid of physical and online meetings. This year’s theme is Beyond COVID: Recovery – Renewable – Resilience.
Caribbean Urban Forum is the premium Conference on urban and land planning in the Caribbean held annually since 2011. It brings together planners, academics, urban and land managers, high level decision makers and other allied professionals for knowledge dissemination, capacity building and policy dialogue.
The Barbados Town Planning Society held its World Town Planning Day 2020 Symposium Lunchtime Webinar on 6th November, 2020 (recording at bottom of page).
Topic: BRIDGETOWN REVITALISATION
Description: Bridgetown has experienced a slow exodus of commercial activity over the past decade that has reduced its significance as a capital city. This webinar will explore ideas of how to revitalise Bridgetown as a vibrant multi-functional centre which is even more necessary for restoring its significance post-pandemic.
You are invited to watch the symposium via the below link:
Date Held: 6th November 2020 Time: 12:00 noon – 1:30pm Format: Panel Discussion Platform: Zoom Registration fee: FREE
Panellists
Dr. Annalee C. Babb – CEO of Knowledge Consultants Inc. and Founding CEO of Invest Barbados.
Ms. Georgina Callender – Innovation Consultant, Founder and Creative Director of G Innovative.
Mr. Geoffrey Ramsey – Planning and Design Consultant for the Synagogue Historic District and Managing Director, EPG Caribbean
Mr. John Williams – CEO of Cave Shepherd and Chairman of Invest Barbados.
We marked our 50th Anniversary (1968 – 2018) with the election of three Honorary Members. This is in recognition of their outstanding contributions to town planning in the island, and the three honorees are as follows:
former Chief Town Planner Luther Bourne;
former Chief Town Planner Lionel Nurse; and
specialist planning and environmental lawyer Christine Toppin-Allahar.
Left to right: Christine Toppin-Allahar, Lionel Nurse and Luther Bourne
The presentations to the honorees were made by Hon Marsha Caddle MP, Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, who thanked them for their outstanding contributions to town planning in Barbados at a reception event held at the Radisson Hotel on 6th July, 2019.
The Minister went on to say that this is an important time for town planning in Barbados. The Planning and Development Act 2019 is a major step forward and gives us the framework for a modern town planning system that matches the needs of Barbados in the twenty first century. However, more work needs to be done before that Act can be proclaimed and implemented. Minister Caddle said these changes involve challenges for both public servants and for the private sector but it would be worth the effort in that it will give us a system that facilitates the development and investment that the country needs.
BTPS – our history and our work today
The Society (originally called the Barbados Town & Country Planning Society) was founded in 1968 at a meeting convened by the late Leonard St Hill. We are celebrating completion of our first 50 years. The principle objective of the original rules was “the promotion of the study of land use planning and the provision of a forum for the development of informed public opinion on all planning matters for the improvement of the community as a whole”. This broad aim has been central to the Society’s work for 50 years.
The Society has always been outward looking. It includes professional planners from both the public and private sectors and since 1972 has welcomed people from related professions or with an interest in planning to join as Associate Members.
BTPS has always had an international perspective. In 1970 Richard Gill (now Past President of BTPS) was one of the people who drafted a constitution for the Commonwealth Association of Planners. We have continued our involvement with that body ever since.
BTPS is also active in the Caribbean Planners Association. Our President, Dr Yolanda Alleyne, is Vice President of CPA and is working with colleagues to achieve the accreditation of planning schools in the region and on accreditation standards for planners. Locally, this will translate into a proposed Planning Profession Bill which will set standards of professional competence, a code of ethics and requirements for continuing professional development.
In 2014 we hosted the Caribbean Urban Forum – an annual conference for planners, related professionals and academics from across the Caribbean (not just anglophone). This was a very successful event and we expect to be asked to organize the event again soon.
In Barbados we continue our work to promote an understanding of planning in the wider community, to promote planning as a profession (particularly as a career for young people), to encourage best practice and to discuss planning issues that have major consequences for the future of the island. A major example was our 2015 Symposium on Modernization and Transparency in Planning which we followed up with a Prospectus recommending improvements to the planning system in Barbados. In recent years we have also held seminars (some with related study visits) on:
Updating the Physical Development Plan
Improving the nation’s health and wellness – planning and health
Water resource management
Ridge to reef – planning and climate change
Developing within the UNESCO World Heritage Site
Renewable energy
BTPS also assisted the Prime Minister’s Office in organizing and delivering the stakeholder events that started off the process for reform of the town planning legislation in the island.
Planning is a small profession in Barbados and BTPS is a small organization. However, we like to think we make a contribution beyond our size.
The Three Honorees
To mark our 50th Anniversary BTPS decided to invite three individuals to join as Honorary Members. Our rules allow us to do this where someone has made an outstanding contribution. This is the first time we have done this and we are honouring three outstanding people.
Luther Bourne
Luther was educated at St Andrews Church Boys School, the Alleyne School and Harrison College. His first degree was in Economics, History and French at London University. He has an MA in International Relations (Johns Hopkins) and Diploma in Town Planning (Newcastle) and qualified as a chartered town planner (Royal Town Planning Institute).
Luther taught in St Kitts and worked for the Federation of the West Indies before joining the TCDPO as a planning assistant in 1964 and working with the UN team on the first Physical Development Plan. Luther returned to the office after completing his postgraduate training and was appointed head of the department in 1970. He was the first Barbadian Chief Town Planner and held the role for 14 years – developing the organization over that period as well as overseeing growth and transformation across the island. Luther then became an acting Permanent Secretary in 1984 and Cabinet Secretary in 1990. From 1992 until 1996 he was a United Nations consultant on planning.
Lionel Nurse CBE
Lionel was educated at Combermere and studied Geography and History at UWI. He has an MA in Geography from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, an MPhil in Urban Design and Regional Planning (Edinburgh), and also studied at the Lincoln Institute for Land Policy (Cambridge, Massachusetts) and the University of Wales (Certificate in Protected Landscapes Planning). Lionel qualified as a chartered town planner (Royal Town Planning Institute).
Lionel started as a trainee in TCDPO in 1976 and worked in different roles before becoming Chief Town Planner in 1984, holding that post until 1998. He was a Permanent Secretary from 1998 until 2014. As Chief Town Planner he worked on two updates of the Physical Development Plan, introduction of special control for Harrison’s Cave, introduction of water conservation measures, the Adams Barrow Cummings land use study, the first steps towards computerization in the 1980s, the 1987 Bridgetown Physical Development Plan, development of Warrens as a strategic sub-centre, and the introduction of Environmental Impact Assessments. From 1991 to 1994 Lionel served on UNCHS (United Nations Centre for Human Settlements). More recently, he worked as part of the consultancy team on the draft amendment to the Physical Development Plan 2017.
Christine Toppin-Allahar
Christine was educated at Queens College, winning the Barbados Additional Scholarship for Girls in 1967. She has a BA in Geography and Economics from UWI (Mona), an MA in Geography and Planning (Toronto), a Certificate in Integrated Surveys for Natural Resource Development (ITC, Enschede, Netherlands), LLB (UWI Cave Hill), Legal Education Certificate (Hugh Wooding Law School), and a Certificate in Legal Drafting from the International Legislative Drafting Institute, Tulane Law School, New Orleans.
Christine worked in the Town & Country Planning Division, Trinidad and Tobago (1972-1980) and as a Housing Planner in the Ministry of Housing, Lands & Environment in Barbados (1980-82). As an attorney-at-law she has worked for the Attorney General’s Department in Trinidad & Tobago and in private practice. As a specialist in planning, environmental and land law she has advised private clients, Governments and international agencies throughout the Caribbean and further afield as well as teaching and writing on these subjects. As a legislative drafter she has prepared environmental, planning and coastal zone legislation in Caribbean countries including Guyana, Grenada, St Lucia, Antigua & Barbuda, and St Kitts & Nevis. Notably, she was responsible for drafting the new Barbados Planning and Development Act 2019.
The Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) is pleased to announce that Dyan Currie from Australia has been elected to the position of President. At the recent CAP Business Meeting in Singapore Dyan was elected taking over the role from President Christine Platt from South Africa who has stepped down after eight years. Dyan commences this role having just completed two terms as the National President of the Planning Institute of Australia.
Christine Platt (left) handing over CAP Presidency to Dyan Currie (Right)
As a major global institution representing over 35,000 planners world-wide CAP plays an increasingly significant role in the promotion of planning to tackle the challenges of urbanisation and in delivering sustainable human settlements.
On being elected as President, Dyan said:
“I wish to thank CAPs outgoing President Christine Platt for her amazing dedication to the association by serving for 8 years. Planning is a global profession and one that unifies planners worldwide in our aim to commit to good planning outcomes that brings prosperity to our communities through the creation of great spaces and places.
I strongly believe that planning is key to the future of productive, liveable cities and in the management of growth. I look forward to working with planners from around the world to demonstrate the value of planning and its ability to unlock opportunity to support prosperity now and well into the future.”
On behalf of the membership of CAP I would like to congratulate Christine on her appointment as an Honorary Vice President in recognition of her service to the members and the profession.”
Dyan will be supported by Clive Harridge CAPs Secretary- General and a team of Vice Presidents from around the Commonwealth:
In addition CAP has appointed Viral Desai to lead CAPs Young Planners’ Network and Alicia Yon to lead CAPs Women in Planning Network.
CAP is a not for profit organisation which seeks to focus and develop the skills of urban and regional planners across the Commonwealth to meet the challenges of urbanisation. CAP represents town and country planners from 24 countries throughout the Commonwealth.
