COMMISSIONER and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC), Mr. Trevor Benn, led a small delegation to the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Working Week conference in Hanoi, Vietnam.

FIG Working Week is a conference that brings together the international community of surveying and spatial professionals to discuss key challenges within the surveying profession.

Benn utilised the opportunity to highlight Guyana’s efforts to modernise its National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) in support of national growth. The NSDI is a digital and open-data geospatial information system, which facilitates communication among different sectors and enhances the decision-making processes.

The GL&SC has worked in tandem with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to bring an NSDI action plan to fruition.

Mr. Benn told the conference that he was extremely pleased with the development of the action plan. This action plan, he reminded, sets out the priorities for improving cooperation in data and information management.

Explaining why NSDI is critical and much-needed in Guyana, Mr. Benn told the delegates, “The NSDI helps different sectors to combine their information and database to create one map, so that all sectors can make decisions together.” He added that, “It will enable the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission to interact better with other agencies and have better information to support farmers, the agriculture sector, the Guyana Police Force and all other critical agencies.”

Only last week, the commission informed a number of local stakeholders about progress made on the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Action Plan for Guyana.

While in Vietnam, Commissioner Benn also met with the Chairman of the Vietnam Natural Resources and Environment Corporation, Mr. Le Xuan Dung, at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Vietnam, to discuss areas of cooperation for Guyana’s successful implementation of the NSDI.

The commissioner was accompanied by Mr. Veit Mendonca, Senior Land Administration Officer and Mr. Joel Trotman, Land Use Planner.

The conference began on April 22, and concluded on April 26, 2019. .