The Board of Engineering of Trinidad and Tobago was established by Act No. 34 of 1985 “to regulate the practice of engineering in Trinidad and Tobago”.

The Fifth Board, which took office in December 2001comprised: -


Eng. Hollis Charles (Chairman)
Eng. Prof. Winston Mellowes
Eng. Imtiaz Hosein
Eng. Rossini Castro
Eng. Jerry Medford
Mrs. Margaret Edwards
Mr. Hewitt Nicholson
Eng. Fenrick R. De Four (Registrar)


In February Mr. Hewitt Nicholson died. The Board places on record its deep appreciation for the services Mr. Nicholson unselfishly gave to the Board and the profession. Condolences on behalf of the Board and its members were extended to Mr. Nicholson’s widow and family. The Board has requested a replacement for Mr. Nicholson who was one of the two members of the Board representing the public interest.

During 2002, the profession also lost the following engineers - Winston Akong, Alfred Benghiat, Basil Pashley, Elam Taylor and Bruce Wood. The Board extends sincerest condolences to the families of these engineers.

Registration of Engineers

During the year under review the number of registered engineers on roll increased to 899. The number of active registered engineers on roll increased to seven hundred and twenty-seven (727), an increase of 34 or 5% over 2001. These engineers are properly accredited in accordance with the highest international standards. There are two Standing Committees of the Board which are responsible for ensuring these standards. The Accreditation Committee chaired by Eng. Prof. Winston Mellowes and the Assessment Committee chaired by Eng. Jerry Medford.

Regional Reciprocal Registration

In keeping with the decision by Caricom to implement free movement of professionals within the Community, the Board during 2002 continued to work with the Caribbean Council of Engineering Organization (CCEO) to promote the adoption of common framework legislation for the reciprocal registration of engineers in the Region. At the request of the Department of Public Works of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Board advised on the use of the framework document approved by the CCEO, for the developing of registration legislation in that Country.

Amendments to the Engineering Profession Act

For a number of years the Board has been seeking to have the existing Act amended to reflect changes based on our experience in operating the Act and the changes in the profession both here and abroad. The effective lack of a Parliament during 2002 affected the Board’s agenda for getting the Act amended. The draft of amendments will be proposed to the Government in the New Year.

Administration and Finance

The administration of the Board is managed by the Registrar with very able assistance of the office administrator, Mrs. Jameela Bynoe. The Board thanks them both for their unstinting service. The Board notes that the position of Registrar remains part time and unpaid at this time. The Board will be monitoring this condition as the level of registration and activities of the Board increases.

Eng. Imtiaz Hosein was appointed Treasurer of the Fifth Board. The Accounts of the Board have been audited up to 2001 and show that with the increase in annual dues in that year and since, the Board has been able through strict budget control to balance its Income and Expenditure Accounts. To November 2002 there was an increase of 34% in Income over 2001 and a 10% increase in Expenditure. The Board also operates a small reserve fund, which is used to meet planned expenditures such as the purchase of a module in the Professional Centre.

The Professional Centre

During the year the Board has made an initial down payment of TT$5,000.00 on a module in the planned expansion of the Professional Centre at Fitzblackman Drive, Port of Spain. The Board’s Registrar chairs the Centre's Building Committee and occupation of the expansion is planned for early 2004.

Bursary

During the year the Board appealed to members to contribute to funding the award of a Bursary to a deserving student of the Faculty of Engineering at University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. The Bursary is to be awarded on the basis of need to a national of Trinidad and Tobago. Registered members responded to that appeal and as a result the Board was able to make an award. The recipient of the Board’s first Bursary is Mr. Aaron Chadee a final year Civil Engineering student. The contributors to the Bursary Fund are listed on the Board’s website and the Board expresses its thanks and appreciation to all these members.

The Board would want to continue to make this award and even increase the number of awards made every year. The appeal for contributions to the Bursary fund therefore continues and more members are urged to make contributions to the Fund. In the coming year the Board proposes to expand the appeal to engineering firms as well.

The human resource requirements of the anticipated growth in economic activity in the energy sector make the Bursary Awards and hence the appeal even more urgent.

Codes and Standards

A framework of engineering practice based on established Codes and Standards is the infrastructure of the engineering profession. The Board collaborates with the Bureau of Standards and other regulatory bodies on building up the national collateral of Codes and Standards. During the year formal consultations in collaboration with the Interim National Physical Planning Commission (INPPC) were held on the Small Buildings Code and the Physical Planning Standards. Formal consultations on the FIDIC Conditions of Particular Application are also being organized.

The Board’s Structures Committee joined forces with the Seismic Engineering Committee of APETT to produce structural codes for seismic conditions. The Board has assisted the Electrical Inspectorate in respect of reorganizing the Inspectorate to separate the regulating from the inspecting functions and to put in place interim measures during the reorganization.

The Board collaborated with the Bureau of Standards on developing the TTBS Wiring Code and the Code was subsequently adopted as a national code.

The Drainage Committee has been re-activated under the chairmanship of Eng. Ewoud Heesterman. The previous Plumbing and Water/Wastewater Committee had compiled “Guidelines for Design and Construction of Water/Wastewater systems in Trinidad and Tobago”, which will be used by the new Committee as a basis for its continuing work.

The Electrical Code Committee has prepared comments on a document on “Quality Standards for Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission”, which was released for public comment by the Regulated Industries Commission.

Professional Development and Conduct (CPD)

The Continuing Professional Development Programme (CPD) has now been in place for four years. Eng. Dr. Myron Chin has assumed responsibility for the joint Board/APETT CPD Committee which is working to structure the CPD systems based on experience and information acquired as this important element of engineering practice is optimized. Eng. Prof. Winston Mellowes is the Board’s liaison with the CPD Committee.

Discipline

One new complaint was lodged against a registered engineer during the year and is being investigated. Investigation into another outstanding complaint was completed in December and the Board will make its ruling in the New Year.

Proposed Changes to UWI Undergraduate Degree in Engineering

Together with the Council of APETT and the Secretary General of the Caribbean Council of Engineering Organizations (CCEO), the Board has been holding discussions with the Dean and the Heads of Departments of the Faculty of Engineering of UWI on proposals by the Faculty to create two undergraduate engineering degrees with differing entry requirements. The Board’s position in these discussions has been and remains that the requirements for professional engineers registration in Trinidad and Tobago will be based on internationally accepted standards of training and experience.

In keeping with similar international standards, certification of sub-professional levels is also possible and the Board is moving to address these options in the proposed amendments to the Engineering Profession Act. The Board has also noted the recent agreement between the UWI and the Trinidad and Tobago Institute of Technology (TTIT) for the recognition by UWI of the TTIT B. Tech qualification.

Board Nominees to State Agencies

The Board is often requested to nominate appointees to State Agencies. On such occasions the Board’s nominations are based on an assessment of expertise and the experience required. In that context, the Board has decided as a matter of policy to inform its nominees to State Agencies that they are not required to resign their appointments when a new government is elected to office.

Promotional Activity

Website

During the year the Board continued to maintain its website at www.boett.org. Codes and Standards which are put out for public comment are posted on the website as well as information on Current Events and matters relating to the registration of engineers. The website is also available for members to publish their views or papers on matters of engineering or public interest.

Public Affairs

The Board has decided on a more proactive policy of advising the national decision makers and informing the public about the engineering issues in matters of public interest. The Board is concerned at the continuing apparent reluctance of engineers to contribute to public discussions on engineering works, standards and safety in the Country.

WAITRO Award

In September the Chairman of the Board was the recipient of the Award of Honour of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Organizations (WAITRO) for his contributions to WAITRO and the application of science and technology to development.

Out-Reach Activities

During the year the Board continued its out-reach activities by taking an active part in several issues which arose or continued to be addressed within the engineering community. The question of the role of the architect and engineer in the project management of large construction projects emerged as an issue and the Board brokered a number of discussion meetings to assist in clarifying the position taken. It is apparent that project management has emerged as a discrete professional skill which is being practiced not only by architects and engineers. That reality has to inform the approaches which have been traditionally been taken by both architects and engineers within the context of their roles as project manages.

The Board continued to be an active member of the Joint Consultative Council for the Construction Industry (JCC). During the year the JCC focused on preparing inputs to the Commission of Inquiry into the construction of the new Terminal Building at Piarco as well as addressing the implications for the construction industry of the predicted period of sustained economic growth in the energy sector.

The Board has submitted to the new National Carnival Commission its proposals to remove the bottleneck at the Savannah for the Carnival parade in Port of Spain. In its continuing efforts to improve the standard of engineering services made available to the public, the Board has engaged in programmes aimed at influencing employers of engineers to have at least their senior engineers registered with the Board.

Interim National Physical Planning Commission

The Board has invested considerable time and human resource in the efforts to establish a national physical planning mechanism. Arrangements satisfactory to all the stakeholders have been hammered out at joint meetings including public consultations. The outstanding element is the enabling legislation. The Board will lend its efforts to the task of getting the required legal framework enacted.

Trade in Services

The Board continued during the year to take part in discussions at the national and regional levels in respect of negotiations taking place on Trade in Services. The outcome of those negotiations will ultimately affect the engineering profession in Trinidad and Tobago and the Board where possible, is attempting to address the issues. In that context, the Board participated in the recent response by the JCC to a request made by an international Company for the provision of engineering services on the Atlantic LNG Train III Expansion Project.

Looking Ahead

The first priority for 2003 will be to bring into legislation the amendments to the Engineering Profession Act which will deepen the local development of the profession and enhance the Country’s ability to manage its technical human resources. This has become even more imperative in the light of the expected multiplying of economic growth in the energy sector. As an adjunct to that priority, the Board will continue to promote the adoption of regional framework legislation for reciprocal registration of engineers.

In the coming year the Board proposes to pursue its goal of documenting and archiving the major engineering works carried out in Trinidad and Tobago in the past. This also becomes a priority with the anticipated explosion of activity in the energy sector.

Also a matter of priority will be the intention to be more proactive in bringing the views of the engineering community on matters of public interest, to the attention of both public and private sector decision-makers and to the public at large.

The future appears to be full of challenges or crises – which in the Chinese logography carries the same symbol as the concept of opportunity!

CONCLUSION

The Board expresses its thanks to those volunteers who have assisted our efforts during 2002. That “national service” has become a cornerstone of Board activity and a foundation of our performance. Leading that selfless dedication has been our Registrar Eng. Fenrick De Four and the Board once again expresses our deepest appreciation to him.