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"Dr. Colin Hudson's contribution has been extraordinary and it wont be easy to replace his boundless energy, encyclopaedic knowledge and willingness to share expertise." This is the opinion of Richard Hoad a Barbadian farmer and social commentator.

Yet Colin Hudson, like the rest us who dare stand in front of the runaway freight trains of greed and “development” will have failed in his mission. Water restrictions have come early this year but will any Bajans follow his example and install waterless toilets to save this precious resource? (Water, not food, is the commodity over which man will fight in the future, Colin kept reminding us.)

Who will sort, recycle and reuse garbage to avoid landfill mountains? Who will “tread lightly” on the world's rapidly disappearing resources? Who will save what's left of our agricultural land, so we can feed ourselves?

The loss of agricultural land was one of Colin's greatest nightmares and he kept highlighting the staggering statistics. Who cares?

The fisherfolk who farm the sea are bemoaning the loss of their fishing grounds. Government is doing its utmost to protect them. Yet it allows good agricultural land to be bulldozed for development while unproductive land is available. < Read more>

February 29 Terry Ally (Sunday Sun)

I have for sometime been of the opinion that Colin's contributions to Barbados had not been suitably recognized by the powers that be during his lifetime. But then neither was Van Gogh, who sold just one painting before his death and that was to his brother. Dozens of his works were dumped after his death, because the people around him were unable to see the light.

Colin's light is already out there, and piercing the gloom so that many millions will eventually see it and through them their countries will easier be able to steer clear of the environmental rocks which now encircle so much of our wasteful and polluted world.

We at the Barbados National Trust miss him very much, but we are confident that because of his work people far beyond the shores of his adopted and beloved home Barbados, will enjoy better lives.

Finally, on behalf of all those involved in erecting this memorial I thank Colin's Dad for the generous donation he made to the monument fund.

February 23 Counterpart International

Lelei LeLaulu, President of Counterpart International, and Dr. Basil Springer, Chairman of Counterpart Caribbean, were saddened to hear of Dr. Hudson's demise and are remembering the Englishman, who had made Barbados his home for several decades, as a pioneer in the field of sustainable development and a gift to the Caribbean region.

"It is with deep regret that I advise that Dr. Colin Hudson passed away last night," said Dr. Springer in today's communiqué to Counterpart Caribbean's Board of Directors. "I spoke to him in the field less than two weeks ago and there was no overt indication that he was suffering in any way. Colin will be sadly missed by the sustainable development family."

Dr. Springer described Dr. Hudson as the visionary behind the "Village of Hope" exhibition which complemented the official business at the 1994

United Nations Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Barbados. The exhibit led to the establishment of the Future Centre Trust in Edgehill, St. Thomas, before Counterpart Caribbean, in partnership with the Washington DC-base Counterpart International, accepted the responsibility to deepen its regional and international development mandate three years ago. < Read more >

Compliments of the Barbados Advocate

A TRIBUTE to Colin Dr. Colin Hudson - Press release from the Ministry of Housing, Lands and the Environment on the death of Dr Colin Dr. Colin Hudson

“IN OUR WAY of life, with every decision we make, we always keep in mind the Seventh Generation of children to come. When we walk upon Mother Earth we always plant our feet carefully, because we know that faces of future generations are looking up at us from beneath the ground. We never forget them” (Oren Lyons, Faith-keeper, Onondaga Nations, Earth Day 1993 pledge)

THIS QUOTATION summarises eloquently the philosophy that guided Dr. Colin Hudson 's approach to life. It was with great sadness this ministry learnt of his passing. < Read more >

February 23 CERN (Press release)
By Caribbean Environmental Reporters' Network

In 1961, Hudson came to Barbados to work initially on sugar cane agronomy after studying agronomy at Cambridge University. He later immigrated, completing a prize-winning doctorate at the University of the West Indies in 1968 and working with the acclaimed Barbadian agriculturalist and biologist, the late Graham Gooding.

Hudson's friend of 35 years, agriculturalist Keith Laurie, told CBC Television Monday that Hudson saw the need for mechanisation in the sugar industry and shifted his focus from agronomy to technology, developing a harvester for sugar cane.

Forming the company, Carib Agro-Industries Limited, Hudson invented harvesters for sugar, yam and cassava and obtained 20 patents for his machines which were used around the world. In honour of his acheivement, he was awarded membership of the Barbados Association of Professional Engineers although the inventor was not a certified engineer, Laurie said.

Widely known as a tireless and fertile source of ideas, information and inventions, Hudson wrote more than 200 papers during a 43-year career in agronomy, engineering and environmentalism.

In 1994, the Barbados Governor General and NGO leader, Dame Nita Barrow, urged him to create an exposition of low-cost sustainable technologies to coincide with the landmark United Nations conference on the sustainable development of small island developing states (SIDS).

"[The Village of Hope] was one of his greatest creations", said Laurie who worked with Hudson to develop an eco-farm exhibit, a model organic farm on grounds near the conference site. He said exhibit attracted 2500 school children.

"The exhibit was solution-oriented," said United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Miles Stoby, one of the figures behind the 1994 SIDS conference. "[The Village of Hope focussed] on many of the sustainable development challenges islands faced and some of the simple decisions we need to take to heal the planet. The UN family is deeply indebted to Dr. Hudson for his contribution to global sustainable development imperatives." < Read More >

AN APPRECIATION on the life of Dr Colin Hudson by Dr Joth Singh, executive director of Caribbean Conservation Association

IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS that we at the Caribbean Conservation Association learned of Dr Colin Hudson's passing.

Not only Barbados, but the region on a whole has lost an outstanding environmentalist and inventor. Hudson will always be remembered for the invaluable contribution he made in promoting practical solutions to assist in conservation and sustainable development.

He lived the old adage of practising what you preach. Through his inventions he demonstrated that conservation and sustainable development were everyone's responsibility and not just a select few.

More importantly, he highlighted that they can be achieved through creative ways and in some instances by simple means. His tyre garden is a perfect example.

The environment has lost one of its strongest allies. Though he may be gone, he'll never be forgotten, especially for his role as co-ordinator of the Village Of Hope, a parallel activity to the United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, and as facilitator of the Future Centre Trust, an initiative of Hope.

We at the Caribbean Conservation Association extend our deepest sympathy to his family, friends and colleagues.

May he rest in peace.