# Presentation: 053544

##  Spatial Data Infrastructure in the Caribbean: Needs and Issues 

**Jacob OPADEYI and Shahiba ALI**
**Centre for Geospatial Studies**
**Engineering Institute, Faculty of Engineering**
**The Univ. of the West Indies**
**Trinidad and Tobago**

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Natural Resources Management:Issues Facing the Caribbean

**Environmental pollution and degradation **
**High dependency on tourism and hydrocarbon**
**Sustainable management of the marine resources**
**Managing international marine boundaries**
**International drug trafficking**
**Food security**

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## CHALLENGES FOR LAND MANAGEMENT
Monitoring land use changes
Preventing land squatting
Providing for equity in land ownership
Preventing inefficient fragmentation of prime agricultural lands
Providing for an efficient and effective land information management.

**Monitoring land use changes**
**Preventing land squatting**
**Providing for equity in land ownership**
**Preventing inefficient fragmentation of prime agricultural lands**
**P****roviding for an efficient and effective land information management.**

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## SPATIAL DATA INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CARIBBEAN

**The development of an efficient spatial data infrastructure is fundamental to an efficient and effective natural resource management. **
**It facilitates the identification, access, use & exchange of spatially referenced information on natural resources.**
**It facilitates the exchange of information on the status and extent of the resources.**

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Specific Use of a Regional SDI

**Facilitates the location and visualization of data in respect to these resources **
**T****racking & modelling of environmental pollutants**
** ****L****ocating habitats and migratory patterns of ****	****aquatic species.**
** ****Mapping ****hydrocarbon deposits. **
**Facilitates**** boundary delimitation.****  **

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Existing Situation 

**Lack of formal arrangement for the development of a regional SDI. **
**Project approach to data acquisition**
**Lack of framework for regional data integration**
**Reliance of external funding for mapping**

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Challenges to Developing a Regional SDI

**D****isparities among countries (currency &**** ****completeness of data)**
**Technological adaptation and financial capability.**
**Poor linkages**** amongst the regional Surveying and Mapping Organisations**
**Use of different map projection and geodetic referencing systems.**
**Differences in standards & resolution of data.**
**Inaccuracy in dataset**

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Cadastral maps 

**Are produced from a graphical and visual compilation of individual cadastral survey plans **
**The cartographer visually transfers the shapes of the land parcels as shown on the survey plan onto the Ward Sheet.**
** ****Book and folio numbers containing the survey plan, area and owner's names at the time of compilation**** **

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Geodetic control  and cadastral mapping 

- Sparcity and inaccessibility of geodetic control monuments
-  Vandalism is a major threat in its maintenance
- Mapping is handicapped by the lack of mapping infrastructure (geoidal map, good geodetic control, and map reproduction equipment) and funding required for the maintenance of these maps.
- The only noticeable activity is the re-printing of old maps which are based on 1969 aerial photographs

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Legislation 

- Existing legislation which supports land administration has proved to be inadequate with the passage of time.
- Laws are old and generally ineffective in the performance of cadastral activities
- Regulations governing surveying do not reflect changes in technology.
- Enforcement of regulations and legislation pose a major problem to land administration.

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## DATA MANAGEMENT

- High degree of data duplication & data dependency.
- Data is collected by over 85% of the agencies.
- Data sharing among & between the agencies indicates some degree of complexity.
- Paucity of manpower req’d for data management.
- Requests for data made by other agencies are usually delayed by data retrieval problems.

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## The Need for Data Sharing

- Reduction in duplication: cost & labour
- Consistency in analysis
- Ensure responsibility
- Facilitates completeness of data
- Identifiable growth & improvement in data acquisition techniques

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Issues
Accuracy of input data
Accuracy of digital database
Updating the database
Distribution of the database
Ownership
Liability
Copyright

ESRI - URA Sample

- Accuracy of input data
- Accuracy of digital database
- Updating the database
- Distribution of the database
- Ownership
- Liability
- Copyright
- ESRI - URA Sample

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Infrastructure for Data Sharing

- Policy (Memorandum of co-operation)
- Allocation & recognition of responsibility
- Funding strategy
- Standards:
- Data transfer
- Naming convention
- Metadata
- Education

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## DATA SHARING MODEL OF LAND-RELATED AGENCIES

- DRO

- RGO

- LSD

- TCPD

- VD

- CSO

- WASA

- forD

- Use only

- Collects & Uses

**DATA SHARING MODEL OF LAND-RELATED AGENCIES**

*Primary Agencies*

*Secondary Agencies*

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## Constraint to Data Sharing

**Informality**
**Lack of standards**
**Incompatible areal unit (ED etc.)**
**Charge and no-charge**
**Lack of understanding of issues**

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004

## IMPROVING THE SYSTEM

**Effort should be made to accurate, current and complete record of land resources.**
**Active mapping program should be established with adequate funding for the maintenance of maps and production of map products.**
**Human capacity should be developed to acquire and manage the data resources required**
**Efforts should be made to take advantage of information technology, by adopting computer tools for the efficient  storage and efficient retrieval of data.**

- MACGA Planning Meeting 2004