The Guyana Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE) said Phillip Allsopp has left a legacy more lasting than the granite used in the construction of the many roads he designed and supervised.
In a statement on Thursday, GAPE paid tribute to the Guyanese stalwart, who died on Tuesday.
A distinguished Guyanese Engineer, Allsopp is among founding members of GAPE, for which he once served as President. GAPE said Allsopp was instrumental in giving direction and purpose to the association, which was established in 1968.
His career spanned seven decades, during which, he provided wise counsel and mentorship to engineers right up to the time of his death, GAPE said. Allsopp kick started his career as an apprentice in the Public Works Department of British Guiana in the 1950s and rose through the ranks of District Engineer, Executive Engineer, Chief Works and Hydraulics Officer and ultimately to the most senior position in the Ministry of Public Works, that of Permanent Secretary.
After his retirement from the Public Service, he entered private consultancy as a Partner in C.A. Liburd and Associates and whilst there he was also involved in the landmark Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary (MMA) Agricultural Development and the Guyana-Suriname Ferry Projects.
“Eng. Allsopp was one of the early pioneers in modern road design and construction techniques in Guyana. He researched and pioneered the use of laterite, loam and other local road construction materials and introduced soil stabilisation techniques drastically reducing construction cost thereby allowing for the upgrading and expansion of the road network in Guyana. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Materials Research Laboratory of the Ministry of Public Works. During his illustrious career he was involved in the design and oversight of the construction of the road from Rockstone to Sherima and Suribana to the junction of the Bartica-Potaro Road, which was named Allsopp Point in his honour,” the association detailed.
The distinguished engineer was also involved in the design and construction oversight of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, the Linden-Mabura Hill Road, the Mahaica-Rosignol Road and numerous other roads in Guyana.
He was appointed Deputy High Commission for Guyana to the Court of St. James in the UK and subsequently Ambassador to Brazil. While in Brazil he took part in negotiations which led to the construction of the Takutu River Bridge between Guyana and Brazil.
Upon his return to Guyana Eng. Allsopp provided specialist advice to the Ministry of Public Works, donor agencies, consulting firms and GAPE on a wide array of technical issues. GAPE said Allsopp was actively involved in the University of Guyana’s Civil Engineering programme as an external examiner as well as in an advisory capacity and provided mentorship to many Civil Engineering students.
For his service to engineering in Guyana he was awarded the Golden Arrow of Achievement (AA).
“In the final Poem of Horace’s third book of Odes, he acclaims exegi monumentum aere perennius – I have created a monument more lasting than bronze. So too has Eng. Allsopp who has left a legacy more lasting than the granite used in the construction of the many roads he designed and supervised,” the association said.
The Guyana Association of Professional Engineers extended its sincere condolences to the family of Engineer PAD Allsopp FGAPE.
