The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The newly constituted Department of Environment Planning & Protection is another slap in the face of architects. It is beyond me why architects have been the only profession to be singled out by successive governments for attacks.

In this case the education and training of architects is being second guessed with regards to their ability to provide design criteria and execution of buildings on sensitive sites that may be considered a sensitive environmental undertaking.

Under the current Architects Act, architects are responsible for all those matters in the built environment.

The new process under this act requires that D.E.P.P. must review all architects plans before they are submitted to the Ministry of Public Works for approval.

I am told that not only does this process add cost to the production of plans but that this adds an additional three weeks to the already lengthy process.

No other profession is treated with this kind of contempt.

Can you imagine the uproar if lawyers are required to have their brief reviewed prior to their appearance in court, or a doctor procedures having to be reviewed before every patient he treats.

This is the effect this new legislation is having on architects.

What the government should be focused on creating general zoning and land use policies for the entire Bahamas instead of trying to micro-manage the expertise of architects professional practice.

The government is yet to pay the architects board the subvention allocated under the Architects Act, 1994.

They have failed to act properly with the tenements of the act with regards to the appointment of the Architects Board.

I am not sure why such disdain is shown towards architects, but it must stop.

GORDON C Major

B.Sc. F.I.B.A.

Nassau,

April 12, 2021.