The Barbados Town Planning Society regrets to announce the Passing of one of its Professional Members, Luther Bourne, on July 15, 2024 at the age of 88.
Luther joined the Town & Country Development Planning Office (TCPO) in 1964 as a Planning Student with prior University Degrees in Economics and World affairs. He had been employed in the diplomatic section of the West Indies Federation when it became defunct and was keen to obtain another post in the Public Sector. At that time, the Government of Barbados had an opening for a Pupil Assistant to be trained in the UK and he was successful in securing that position, to the great ultimate benefit of the Planning Profession. He spent a year in the TCPO under the guidance Mr. Peter H. M. Stevens, the first Town & Country Planning Officer. During that year, he assisted in the research and documentation for the first Physical Development Plan of Barbados, the draft of which had been completed in 1966 by a professional team under the U.N. Development Programme.
The following year, Luther travelled with his family to the UK for a two-year Postgraduate degree in Town Planning and his local experience would have been important because he could relate his studies to the Barbados context. It was during this time that he and Richard Gill became friends, as the latter was then in the third year of a four-year Honours Degree course.
When Luther and Richard returned to Barbados in 1967, they were both appointed to professional posts under the then head of Department, Mr. Peter Shepherd. Over the next couple of years, the posts were rationalized and the more familiar term “Chief Town Planner” was formalized. Following the departure of Mr. Shepherd, Luther was appointed as the first Barbadian Chief Town Planner in 1970 and held that post for about 14 years, during which he was well positioned to influence public policy and planning practice. He was then promoted to Acting Permanent Secretary and subsequently to Cabinet Secretary.
He supported the entry of Barbadian Planners into the profession and encouraged and monitored several young Planners who worked under him, for which they are most grateful. He was particularly instrumental in effecting a change in the training of young planners, who previously would have gone to the UK for training to the first degree level, by encouraging a grounding in the local and wider Caribbean environment first, before proceeding to the UK for post-graduate studies. It is to be regretted that Luther was never awarded a national honour for his outstanding service.
On retirement from Government service, Luther started a modest private practice in association with an Engineer and served as a UN Consultant on Planning from 1992 to 1996. During this period of his life, he also assisted overseas Consultants in the preparation of two versions of the amended Physical Development Plan for the Island. He also teamed up with local firms Athelston King Architects and Errol Clarke Engineers as the planning consultant in the preparation of The Greater Orange Hill Area Comprehensive Development Plan (Deanstown) of 1998. This was one of the plans identified for preparation in the Physical Development Plan Amended 1988.
Luther’s contribution to the Planning Profession has been immense over the years. As a Professional Member of the BTPS, he has served as President for several years during which he also served as the Regional Representative of the Commonwealth Association of Planning (CAP) for the Americas Region – essentially for Canada and the Caribbean. He also proved, in his role as President of BTPS, that Public and Private Sector Planners could work together in a professional organization to their mutual benefit and hold the highest office without conflict of interest, thus helping to grow the profession.
Luther has also taken part in many of the Society’s public events including local seminars and local and regional conferences, chairing several sessions. In such events he ably balanced his professional integrity and responsibilities with his high level public advisory function by always giving a willing ear to the “other view” without compromising himself through committal.
This Society was pleased to honour Luther in recent years as one of its first three Honorary
Members, a title which was richly deserved.
Others will no doubt have much to say about Luther’s artistic abilities including fluency with his classical guitar, his creative dance ability and his acting roles. Our own Members will always remember him as a person of the highest integrity, as someone very special with his love of people, his Joy of Life and his ability to offer thoughtful advice on all professional matters.
Our condolences go out to his dear wife Pamela (“Pam”) and their family and we embrace with thanks the life of one who gave much and thoroughly enjoyed the journey of a long life.
May he Rest in Peace.
The President and Membership of the Barbados Town Planning Society.
30th July 2024
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