–at workshop to mark World GIS Day

UNIVERSITY of Guyana (UG) students studying geography got the unique opportunity last Wednesday of learning hands-on about using the platform, OpenStreetMap (OSM).

The occasion was the observance of Geographic Information System (GIS) Day, which happens to coincide with observances to mark Geography Awareness Week, better known as GEOWEEK.

The event, which was hosted by UG in collaboration with a host of other agencies, was held on campus at the Centre for Information Technology.

According to Ms Malini Jaikarran, an analyst at the Ministry of Communities, GIS Day is observed the world over every year since 1999 on the third Wednesday in November.

Noting that the event brought together representatives of the university’s Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), she said:
“We are here to introduce the OpenStreetMapping platform in which parts of Guyana will be mapped.
“Students will mark key features, landmarks, businesses and services in their communities.”

As she went on to say, “We are mapping key features and landmarks in the communities where the participants live.
“The main aim of the GIS and OSM Day is basically to develop more geospatial information that can be used by government agencies and the public, and to teach basic mapping skills to the persons participating.”

She said that the OSM site can be accessed Online at openstreet.org, and that after creating an account, anyone with the relevant know-how can use it.

The IDB’s Mr Edgar Lemus, whose field of expertise is geospatial information, said the
One-day workshop was geared to help UG students plan and manage activities using OSM.

“That basically means that we’re using satellite maps to trace the location of roads and buildings, and produce digital information that anyone can use,” he said, adding:
“As we have students from different levels of education… we are just aiming to produce local capacity-building in the use and generation of open-generation data.”

Head of the university’s Department of Geography, Ms Dina Benn said most of the students participating in the workshop that day were from the Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculties.