Planning awards DoE chief

(CNS): The Director of the Department of the Environment Gina Ebanks-Petrie received an award from the Department of Planning recently for her Outstanding Contribution to Preservation. Petrie was one of only two local people still alive who were lauded by the department for their work in shaping Cayman’s environment.

When or if the long awaited National Conservation Law is ever passed the Planning Department and the Department of the Environment will be required to work very closely with regards future planning applications. Presently there is no legal requirement within the Planning Law to consider ecological or natural environmental issues during a planning application. However, despite the lack of legal obligaiton Petrie has persistently submitted environmental assessments to the CPA and advised the Department with regards ecological issues in relation to potential developments.

The awards were made during the 2nd Annual Central Planning Authority (CPA) Awards Ceremony at the Cayman Seafarers Hall. CPA Chairman Dalkeith Bothwell said, the celebration was to recognize individuals and their families who have played vital roles and who have made outstanding contributions to critical aspects of our Islands’ growth.

Recipients in five categories received awards during the ceremony:  Outstanding Past CPA Member –Attlee Bodden; Outstanding Contribution to Planning – the late George Haig Bodden, MBE; Outstanding Contribution to Development – the late Capt Rayal Bodden, Sr; MBE, JP; Outstanding Contribution to Preservation –Gina Ebanks-Petrie; Lifetime Achievement Award – the Dr Marco Giglioli, OBE;The CPA Awards ceremony was an initiative of CPA Chairman Dalkeith Bothwell and was part of Cayman’s celebration of World Town Planning Day (WTPD).

Present at the ceremony were Ministry of District Administration, Planning, Agriculture and Housing (DAPAH) Deputy Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn; CPA Chairman Dalkeith Bothwell; Director of Planning Kenneth Ebanks and his staff; awards nominees and their friends and family members. Altee Thompson Jr was Master of Ceremonies.