…will start with Region One

THE Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC) will next year begin the mapping of the Barima-Waini Region, and it is billed as the initial step towards re-mapping of the entire country, an exercise which has not been undertaken since the 1960’s.

This first phase will cost over $200M, while remapping the entire country will cost around USD$79M or €20M based on the supplier, Commissioner of the GLSC, Trevor Benn told a news conference on Monday.

It is an important aspect in the management of all lands in Guyana as it would enable the generation of accurate and important land-related statistics; facilitate data-driven development decisions and increase the efficiency in land management, Benn said. “If we are to effectively and efficiently carry out our mandate the cost associated in doing so is really enormous, and we are trying our best to limit the impact on our staff and our clients generally,” Benn said.

REVENUE TARGET
Meanwhile, thus far Benn says the commission has achieved 97 per cent of its $850M target revenue for 2019 but, with many financial challenges still looming, citizens may soon have to pay more for the sale or lease of lands. Since 2001 the rates have not been increased and the commission is putting a hold on the decision, for now, until the public is sensitised on why such a change is necessary.

On Monday, at its annual year-end press conference, the GLSC chief executive officer and commissioner said that there has been no final decision on the percentage of increase or when such would occur.

“We have not decided on the new rates. We have written and asked for approval to increase our rates. We are waiting on those decisions but in the meanwhile, what has been happening is that companies and individuals are coming to us and saying ‘listen, I’ve seen a portion of land, I want to offer you this amount for it’. And some of those offers are too good to refuse, so we’ve gone ahead with those offers and that’s what’s keeping our doors open,” Benn said.

He added: “We’ve opted in the short term for those who can afford to pay for the lands at a competitive price we encourage them to so do, and, or those who just can’t afford it we maintain the 2001 rates for them. So, this is work in process until we can sensitise the public sufficiently of why they need to support the implementation of additional rates. We do not intend to spring it on people, but since last year we’ve begun to sensitise the public in this regard.”

The commissioner said that when he took up the job the commission was almost $200M in the red, but that since then it has not regressed.

The Government’s 2019 budget has allocated an increase of some $163M for capital works for the commission and $150M for supplement for salaries, while the agency must work to secure its own additional finances. Looking towards 2019, Benn noted that several projects are set to increase the commission’s ability to serve citizens, and have been slated to continue or begin in the coming year.

DIGITISATION
Additionally, Benn said the transition of the commission from a highly dependent paper-based operation to a digital system will continue into the New Year, with the completion of the Wide Area Network (WAN). In 2019 the commission will also seek to facilitate Guyana’s membership to several key international organisations, such as the Pan American Institute of Geography and History (PAIGH) and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).
These can provide technical assistance, capacity building and provide access to a variety of resources and expertise important to the work of the commission in mapping, hydrographic surveying and other areas. In the first quarter of 2019, Guyana will host the 10th Conference of the Joint Border Commission, as well as, the 17th Session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC17) in January 2019.

Benn added that the Land Surveyors Act is expected to be completed within the first quarter of 2019, same as the Commission’s Annual Reports for the year 2017 and 2018. The time period will also mark the rolling out of the National Geographic Information

Systems (GIS) Policy, once the document, still in its draft form, is approved by Cabinet. The commission also intends to review all laws relevant to land administration in Guyana, inclusive of the State Lands Act; the Land Surveyors Bill and others.

Meanwhile, the construction of a new sub-office building in Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) will commence in the New Year along with the completion of another in town of New Amsterdam (Region Six)