In light of this week's celebration of World Architecture Day (October 5), and the recent debate in your paper over unregistered draughtsmen submitting drawings to parish councils, I'd like to offer a word in support of registered architects in Jamaica and the Jamaican Institute of Architects (JIA) in particular.

While Robert Montague may be correct in that parish councils do obey the letter of the law in receiving and permitting plans by architects, draughtsmen and everyone in between, he is completely missing the point the JIA president, Christopher Whyms-Stone, was making that the law is vague on the issue of who should really qualify to submit plans and that registered professionals are the only ones trained and accountable for the public good when it comes to our built environment. This, the spirit of the law, is unquestionable, yet it comes under assault frequently, as untrained persons are granted permits to erect walls around us and roofs over our heads.

There are a few reasons why the design of buildings should be left to architects:

Typical curriculum

The rigorous education of an architect involves a broad overview of subject matter. The typical curriculum encompasses not only design, but physics, psychology, history, art, mathematics and language. The student of architecture must be able to bring all this to bear not only to achieve a diploma, but also successfully to create buildings of lasting and intrinsic value. This is as true at the Caribbean School of Architecture at the University of Technology as it is at the finest colleges around the world. Architecture schools turn out rounded individuals who are capable of critically assessing and contributing to the incremental and orderly growth of our cities.

Next, the process of registration of an architect ensures he or she has the practical experience and technical knowledge necessary to put a building together. The architect intern in Jamaica must complete a period of apprenticeship under a more mature and previously registered architect who, in essence, teaches the intern the ropes of the profession, from detailing the building, to dealing with numerous clients, engineers and contractors in a collaborative process necessary for successful completion of building projects large and small. Furthermore, the registration examination grants the right to practise architecture on one's own to those few who can prove their understanding of building codes and complex legal issues which govern construction in the country.

Keep up

Finally, membership in the JIA encourages the architect to keep up with current building practices and design themes, and to continually affiliate with their peers in Jamaica and around the Caribbean via long-standing associations with other bodies of architects. Awareness of current practice is crucial in our time as Architects the world over are entrusted with employing rapidly diminishing resources to build in what must be an environmentally responsible manner.

Montague, in his remarks, made the assertion that the JIA sought to reduce the earnings of the 'small man' through its actions. This serves to belittle the motivation, indeed even the charter of the JIA/ UIA and is unfounded. This is not a matter of big plaza versus small house or 'us' versus 'them'. The JIA and Mr Whyms-Stone have worked tirelessly in pro-bono situations to improve the lives of all Jamaicans. In much the same way, the Medical Association of Jamaica is responsible for improving the public health, the JIA and Jamaica's Architects are arbiters of our built culture in more ways than one. If the law is not written specifically to that effect, then perhaps what we should be discussing is how to sit together to reach a compromise in reworking the law. As Jamaicans, we should not accept any less.

Just about anyone with a pencil and ruler or computer can draw up a plan, but should just anyone be allowed to? The answer is clear.

I am, etc.,

KEVIN YOUNG

young@yard-architect.net

Atlanta, Georgia