$93M to revive defunct Lands & Surveys project

Seven years after the Government expended over half a billion dollars to develop a network to aid in the better use of land and water resources, another $93M was today awarded to a UK consultancy firm to get the project moving.

The Continuous Operating Reference Station (CORS) Network will facilitate real-time GPS surveys for all agencies and Ministries.

This can significantly benefit surveyors, and persons in the mining, agriculture and construction industries to get more precise information on land and water resources.

In 2012, over $500M was used to get the project started and at that time, eight regional substations were constructed at a cost of $80,039,806 but the stations were just left to fall apart.

The stations were constructed at Eclipse Falls- Region One, Supenaam- Region Two, Georgetown- Region Four, New Amsterdam- Region Six, Olive Creek- Region Seven, Lethem Region Nine and Linden- Region Ten.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), Trevor Benn, there is no explanation as to why the system was never put to use.

“The response will be similar to a lot of things we have done in this country in the past. We’ve set up a lot of consultancies, we’ve set up offices, we’ve put systems in place and we honour them in the breach for the most part. I can’t answer why we do it but that has seemed to be the culture in the past,” Benn said.

While he could not recall who was awarded the first contract, this contract for consultancy services was awarded to Ordnance Survey International, the UK’s National Mapping Agency.

The firm is expected to build on what has been done before but the majority of the stations previously established will have to be rebuilt.

Chief Executive Officer of Ordnance Survey, Peter Hedlund boasts of the good track record of his company as he promised to do better.

The multi-million-dollar contract was signed by the two CEOs in the presence of Minister of State, Joseph Harmon and officials of the Lands and Surveys Commission at the Ministry of the Presidency, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, today.

Harmon said the realization of the project will help the Commission to better fulfil its mandate.