By BAHAMAS INFORMATION SERVICES

The Bahamas Government signed a $45,000non-reimbursable technical cooperation financing agreement for the

reactivation of The Bahamas National Geographic Information Systems Centre (GIS).

The agreement was signed last Wednesday by Senator James H. Smith, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance; His Excellency Roderick Gemmell, British High Commissioner; and Mr. Frank J. Maresca, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Representative in The Bahamas.

The grant was made available by the United Kingdom Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for Consulting Services, and administered by the IDB.

The grant will finance the services of a consultant to assist with the technical development and operation of geographic systems that would allow users to combine and analyse geographical information linked via digital maps and information databases.

In 1989, the government initiated the GIS system in The Bahamas, focusing primarily on digitising of grid maps for New Providence. Subsequently, these modernisation initiatives were followed by successive technical cooperations jointly funded by The Bahamas Government and the IDB and various Trust Funds

under the bank's administration. As a culmination of institutional capacity building efforts, emanating from the 1999 IDB-financed Bahamas National GIS project, the Government established the Nation al GIS Centre.

"In an effort to reaffirm the Governmentâs commitment and recognition of the importance of land-related matters, this technical cooperation has been designed as a precursor to a larger project which will develop a three-year programme dedicated to land use policy, and administration improvements," Sen. Smith said.

He said it is the objective of the six-month technical cooperation agreement to provide to provide the necessary managerial and advisory services in land information management and planning strategies for the GIS Centre, which will be an integral operational agency in the proposed three-year programme.

Mr. Maresca said a comprehensive, consistent and up-to-date, readily available and accessible geographical information system is essential.

"Without geo-spatial information tasks such as utilities management, environmental monitoring, sustainable tourism, coastal zone management, and urban and transportation planning, cannot be adequately addressed," he said.

Mr. Maresca said the IDB welcomes the recent decision by The Bahamas Government to reactivate the GIS Centre, appoint a core staff as well as make provision for sufficient budget for its operation.

"This grant will provide funding to hire a consultant to act as a managerial and technical advisor in geographic information systems during a period of transition to allow time for the Director and technical staff to take full responsibility for the Centre," he said.

Mr. Maresca said the reactivation and functioning of the Centre is essential, both institutionally and technically, for the development, approval and the successful execution of a larger land use policy and administration initiative currently being discussed with Government.

Posted: Tuesday February 24, 2004