Gov’t Making Use Of Geospatial Technology To Enhance Operations

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., says the Government is making increased use of geospatial technology to enhance service delivery.

Geospatial technologies are wide-ranging modern tools contributing to the geographic mapping and analysis of the Earth and human societies. Among the key technologies are remote sensing, the global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS).

Minster Charles Jr. noted that more than 50 state entities have implemented GIS in their operations, which has resulted in greater efficiency in the execution of their mandates.

These include National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), National Works Agency (NWA), National Water Commission (NWC), and the Social Development Commission (SDC).

He was delivering the keynote address at the University of Technology’s (UTech) 2nd International Built Environment Conference at the institution’s campus in Papine, St. Andrew, on Thursday (Nov.7).

The two-day event was organised by the Faculty of the Built Environment as part of a strategic approach to strengthen research and engage in critical dialogue with staff, students, private and public sector players, as well as built environment professionals.

It was held under the theme: ‘Sustainable Development in the Built Environment for National Growth.’

Minister Charles Jr. welcomed the staging of the conference in providing critical input as Government seeks solutions to some of the country’s development challenges.

He said that the Administration is committed to moving forward in a sustainable way and can only do so through strong partnership with stakeholders such as UTech, which he described as the epicentre of practical excellence.

He challenged the students of the Faculty of Built Environment, especially those who will be pursuing the newly launched Master in Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy programmes, to come up with solutions that will address some of the country’s infrastructure and development issues.

“If you see that we are promulgating laws and guidelines and plans that you think don’t make any sense, don’t sit back. You are now invited to challenge us to introduce your new methods to us and to constructively criticise what we’re doing, because we all have to live in this space,” he said.

Minister Charles Jr. noted that Jamaica has a “very important’ National Spatial Plan, developed in partnership the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which is “going to help to guide our development, our growth, the investment decisions that we make.”

“It is envisaged that this plan will not only allow for strategic development, but it’s going to allow for a multisectoral approach,” he noted.