Seminar in Georgia Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decision Makers

April 3, 2008

USDOT/FHWA/Office of International Programs
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
U.S.A.

ATTENTION: Ms. Daphne Speaks

Dear Ms. Speaks:

For the past three weeks since returning from the seminar in Georgia, I have been planning to contact you. Due to a heavy workload since returning, I did not get the opportunity to express thanks on behalf of the Chief Technical Officer and I for your assistance in facilitating our attendance in the course entitled: "Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decision Makers."

This seminar was a success for us on a number of levels since it demonstrated to us those techniques which can be utilized to solicit the input and assistance of the public in the decision making process when aspects of development are planned for Barbados. In the case of Barbados, these developments include:

1. the proposed construction of flyovers through residential areas;
2. the proposed siting of a new landfill;
3. the proposed construction of a water park in a country which is already water scarce.

These have all been contentious issues which have developed over the past two years.

This course would be instrumental in preparation for Town Hall meetings to discuss these plans and the techniques used will hopefully lead to enhance openness, new ideas from members of the public and less confrontation.

During the seminar, we also learnt that, although we are a developing country, we share similar problems with Public Works Departments in the U.S. There was indeed a "Transfer of Technology" since we learnt from our U.S. Public Works counterparts of their experiences and we were able to share our local experiences with them as it relates to handling Town Hall Meetings where there is an angry public.

Mr. Thornhill and I also had a tour of Georgia Department of Transportation Laboratory on Monday 14, 2008, where we met Ms. Georgiana Geary. We discussed the training in test procedures which we required and we should be sending two of our laboratory technicians to that department during the last week in August. Again, you were instrumental in setting up this meeting for which we are grateful.

As I mentioned to you earlier, we have a new Minister of the Ministry of Transport, Works and International Transport who continues to emphasise the need for training of our technical staff. In this regard, the Ministry of Public Works hopes that the assistance which the U.S. Department of Transportation has given us with respect to the transfer of Technology will continue.

Yours faithfully,

Philip Tudor
Deputy Chief Technical Officer
(Operations)