It is my very pleasant duty and honour this morning on behalf of the Board of Engineering of Trinidad and Tobago to welcome you all, both laity and clergy, to this thanksgiving marking, the Board’s 25 years of service to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.  In particular:

1. To give thanks for the opportunity to serve our nation, and to
2. Pray for the blessing and guidance of the supreme being in future years

I am Derek Comissiong the Registrar/Secretary of the Board.

The Board was established as a corporate body appointed by the Minister with responsibility for public works – the Engineering Profession Act, No.34 of 1985.  Its responsibility is the registration of engineers and otherwise regulating the practice of engineering, the latter by administering a legislated Registered Engineers Code of Ethics which is a schedule to the Act.

The Board of Engineering is in effect the Licensing Authority for Professional Engineers.
The legislated functions of the Board are –

(a)    to assess the qualifications and experience of persons applying for registration as registered engineers;
(b)    to conduct examinations of persons applying for registration as registered engineers;
(c)    to register engineers and issue certificates of registration;
(d)    to monitor adherence to and investigate breaches of the Code of Ethics;
(e)    to exercise disciplinary control over registered engineers;
(f)    to keep published for public scrutiny in the Gazette a list of qualifications and institutions recognized by the Board in respect of the engineering training required by The Act;
(g)    to advise the Minister of such amendments to the Act as it considers desirable; and
(h)    generally to regulate the practice of engineering in accordance with the Act.

The Board is additionally charged with the issuing of Certificates of Registration and maintaining a Register of Registered Engineers which Register is to be kept open for public scrutiny at such a fee as is prescribed (currently $5.00TT).  A further listing of all Registered Engineers appears on the Board’s Website and is listed annually in the Gazette.  In this way the public as well as practitioners can themselves access information on the registration status of individuals.

Although at present time it is not mandatory to be Registered to practice engineering in Trinidad and Tobago, the law provides that no person, not being a registered engineer shall:-

(a)    use any title or description that leads to the belief that he is registered as a registered engineer;
(b)    advertise himself as a registered engineer;
(c)    act in a manner so as to create or induce the belief that he is a registered engineer; or
(d)    sign or stamp any plans, drawings, designs or specifications purporting to be acting in the capacity of such registered engineer.
and provides a liability on summary conviction, a fine of $5,000.00 TT or imprisonment for two years or both such fine and imprisonment.

The Board over the past 25 years has registered some 1,000 Engineers of which over 800 remain in active service today.

The foregoing enables not only members of the public to access the list of registered engineers, but particularly Approval Agencies, Public Authorities, Developers, Clients, Consultants, Contractors and Employers involved in engineering the development and maintenance of facilities and infrastructure, in its broadest sense, to be able to determine who are registered engineers and who are not.

This is surely reason to give thanks to the Almighty and to ask for his blessing and guidance in the future.

Welcome, welcome ALL.

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