NASSAU, The Bahamas – Attorney R. Dawson Malone, managing partner at Callenders & Co., has been appointed Chairman of the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.

The Hon. Alfred Sears, Minister of Works and Utilities, made the announcement Monday, May 2 in the boardroom of the Ministry on University Drive.

Members of the board namely Casuarina Mckinney-Lambert, Roy Turnquest and Dr. Whyms were present for the event.  Also present were Charles Zonicle, director of Physical Planning; Sharon Pratt-Rolle, undersecretary; Sabrina Deleveaux, legal counsel, Dr. Lisa Fitzcharles, first assistant secretary and Keenan Johnson, chairman, Town Planning Board.

Minister Sears described Mr. Malone as an outstanding, professional patriot. He said the in-coming chairman has a “distinguished” track record as an attorney, educator and civically engaged citizen.

“[He] has been involved a number of seminal complex litigation matters some of which involved the interpretation of the Planning and Sub-division Act. He has had a very successful track record in his challenges.

“His considerable experience in the area of property litigation, grasp of relevant issues and intimate knowledge of the Act make him a competent and trustworthy candidate for this position.

“Since being called to the Bahamas Bar, Mr. Malone has appeared in every court within the jurisdiction and has had success before the judicial committee of the Privy Council, served as guest lecturer at Eugene Dupuch Law School and University of The Bahamas, and as a member of the Ethics Committee of the Bahamas Bar Association.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Works and Utilities, we avail ourselves to you and the board to facilitate the important work that you carry out as the administrative law appellate body under the provisions of the Planning and Sub-Division Act.”

Minister Sears remarked that the Town Planning Committee serves a “critical” function.

“It sits at the very heart of development of the built environment of The Bahamas. It is also the mechanism for which the country applies town planning. As we know, for there to be ordered society, there has to be town planning especially given the challenges as The Bahamas, as an island nation state facing a number of critical challenges related to global warming, rising sea levels, we have to ensure that the built environment is not only planned, but also resilient in order to meet the challenges of our contemporary age.

“Therefore, the work being done is at the heart of the survival of our country. It is also critical in terms of the economic viability of our country. Many of the projects are important because they establish businesses, generate employment and revenue for our country.

“In this process, applicants who apply for permission to build in accordance with the Planning and Subdivision Act there is a process for review.  The purpose of our meeting today is to ensure that the appellate mechanism is fully constituted and there are a number of outstanding appeals which need to be addressed.”

In response, Mr. Malone recalled the passage of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

“I was living in Grand Bahama when the hurricane came through, so appropriate, proper planning and development [are] so important to me as I have lost friends and family,” he said.

Mr. Sears thanked the members of the Appeal Tribunal for their service and willingness to continue to serve.