by TREVOR YEARWOOD

THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (UDC) is about to reach a watershed, with the impending departure of its first chairman, O'Brien Trotman.

Trotman, a former Minister of Health, is retiring from the institution he has headed from its inception in the 1990s.

UDC ads have already appeared in the Press, seeking to fill the post that carries a salary just above $9 000 monthly, plus allowances. The deadline for applications is July 27.

UDC Chairman Sir Henry Forde acknowledged that Trotman "has reached the retirement age", but said he hoped the outgoing director would "make his knowledge and experience available to any successor as well as to the corporation in any way he can".

Tribute

He described Trotman as having "tremendous experience" and a vast "grasp of experience" that has been appreciated by the UDC.

The chief executive officer of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), Joey Harper, also paid tribute to Trotman in an interview with the DAILY NATION, saying "his interest was the interest of poor people living in not the best of conditions".

"He tried his best to ensure that proper conditions were put in place for them, in terms of housing, roads and such facilities."

Under Trotman, the UDC has built more than 350 houses and repaired more than 560. More than 1 000 families in urban Barbados have received over $25 million to improve their housing condition.

The UDC has also dug more than 500 wells at a cost of over $2 million, while more than 164 families have benefited from the installation of septic tanks.

About 1 600 people living in urban areas were able to purchase land at $2.50 a square foot through the UDC.

The UDC has also provided loans to launch or develop a range of small businesses.

But the institution has often been accused of lapses in all areas of its work.

In his 2004 report, the Auditor-General expressed concern about unauthorised and undocumented payments of more than $21 000 to individuals made by what was called an "out-of-control" UDC.

The Auditor-General also complained of a disregard for basic loan procedures and for Government's recruitment policies.

Trotman was widely expected to leave the UDC in 2003, when the minister in charge of the commission, Hamilton Lashley, said it was possible that the director would not be returning when the leave he was ordered to take expired.

But days later, Prime Minister Owen Arthur ordered Trotman back to work, with nearly two months of accumulated leave still to be taken.

Meantime, the Rural Development Commission (RDC) has advertised for a replacement for deputy director Kyron Barker.

Barker, who has been with the RDC for two years, is returning to St Vincent.