Leading Guyanese engineer, David Klautky has died
The Guyana Association of Professional Engineers (GAPE) has noted with deep regret, the passing of David ‘Doc’ Klautky and paid tribute to their colleague they described as one of Guyana’s leading structural engineers.
A release from the association stated yesterday that Klautky was one of the early and very active members of GAPE, having joined the organization in 1971, and remaining a member throughout his life. He was elevated to the highest category of membership, that of a Fellow of GAPE in 1983.
GAPE expressed its sincere condolences to his family. According to the release, Klautky began his career as a Site Engineer with the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company out of Darlington, England, while studying for his Bachelor of Science degree in London. He was awarded his PhD in Structural Engineering from The City University, London, UK, in 1968 for his thesis “Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Laminated Timber Beams.” He then worked briefly as a Design Engineer with the consulting engineering firm of Maples, Ridgeway & Partners of London, before returning to Guyana in 1969 to become a lecturer in Civil Engineering at the Faculty of Technology, University of Guyana.
In 1971, Klautky took the bold step of starting his own consulting engineering firm, David Klautky & Associates Ltd, something unheard of at the time and remained its principal until his passing. He was described as a true nationalist and patriot who had an unshakeable view of the ability of Guyanese engineers ‘to do it for ourselves’.
In a career that spanned five decades, Klautky worked on a number of important projects including: the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary (MMA) Agricultural Development project, the Guyana-Suriname Ferry project; the design and construction of the Multilateral Schools, and many other schools throughout the country; the New Georgetown Hospital complex; the Kingston wing of the Pegasus Hotel; timber double-decker stands at GCC, Bourda; the Banks DIH Housing Scheme at Houston; the Paper Recycling Plant at Farm, East Bank Demerara; numerous commercial buildings including the Bank of Baroda, Demerara Bank, Republic Bank, GBTI, and the new Lands and Surveys Building in D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown. He was also the structural engineer for the plinth of the 1763 Monument. He also designed two 100ft clear-span timber truss hangers for the Guyana Defence Force at Timehri and Air Services Ltd at Ogle, engineering feats which have remained unsurpassed to date.
For his service to Guyana in the field of engineering, he was awarded a Golden Arrow of Achievement (AA).
“While GAPE mourns the loss of Eng. Klautky we also celebrate his life and are grateful for the contributions he has made to the development of our country,” the release added.