Better protocols needed for information sharing between government departments – Land management officer

Land management officer in the Land and Surveys Department, Collis Murray, has made a call for protocols to be established to make it mandatory for government departments to share information with other departments and Ministries when requested.

His call came during the opening ceremony of a ‘Single Window for Land and Property Transactions’ (SWLPTS) workshop held on April 22-23,2024.

The two-day workshop focused on the needs and requirements for the governance, management and sharing of spatial or land use data and information; the establishment of a digital parcel-based land information system; and the establishment of an electric single window for land and property transactions. The project is part of the Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP), funded by the World Bank and being implemented in two other Caribbean countries- Dominica and Saint Lucia. The funding for St Vincent and the Grenadines has been allocated at $30 million.

Departments that are directly involved with the implementation of the project include: the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD); Customs and Excise; the Civil Registry; Land Registry; Land and Surveys department; the Electoral and Passport offices; and the Treasury.

Murray, in his remarks, pointed out that he has witnessed how difficult it is to obtain data from other government departments with the implementation of the National Land Information Management Project (NALIM) back in 2003.

“Through NALIM it was the intention that all departments freely share information. We have a major issue with this at this point in that some departments are holding on to data as if is their personal data and refusing to share. So we are hoping with this data infrastructure that new protocols will be established and it will become law making it mandatory for departments to share information.”

Murray explained that the digitization of the Lands and Surveys Department is being done in phases with the aim to be the production of a digital base map of the country.

“Much has been done incidentally in some, infrastructure wise, so many features are not being captured by that imagery.”

This is to be followed by an update of the country’s geographic reference system.

“Secondly, we’ll have what we call a Geodetic Network Adjustment. It sounds a bit complicated, but what it is, each country has what we call a geographic reference. In St. Vincent, we use what we call the British West Indies grid- 45 but internationally, the global one is World Geodetic System 84. So when you go… for example, on Google Maps, are you trying to put an image on Google maps. Because of a different reference system they do not fit, so you may find Kingstown fitting in Stubbs, etc.”

Murray explained that the project, when completed, will see a “one stop shop” for all information regarding lands in the country and can help to address the issue of land registration in St Vincent and the Grenadines.