GIS aids relief workers in Guyana, Caribbean

Relief workers in Guyana and the Caribbean can now access geographic data about displaced persons or downed infrastructure during disasters with the recent launch of MapAction Latin American and the Caribbean (MapLAC).

MapLAC, a newly established arm of UK-based MapAction is equipped to provide up-to-date maps and other information to assist aid workers should any major disasters occur in the region. MapAction was established in 1997 and has as its patron Britain's Prince Harry. Prince Harry recently attended a reception in London for the group to honour the work of relief workers who have undertaken 50 successful field missions since their first mission to Sri Lanka following the Asian tsunami in 2004.

Earlier this year the organisation winged its way to the Caribbean and Latin America through the volunteer efforts of two Guyanese and two Trinidadians, who are ready to assist aid workers in any country in the two regions. According to Vijay Datadin, one of the volunteers, the group only provides assistance when it is sought. Datadin, who is MapLAC's team leader, a Chevening scholar and a graduate of Edinburgh University, is a specialist in GIS. His company RedSpider, located at 78 Hadfield and Breda streets is MapLAC's local contact agency.

In addition to being at the ready to respond to the emergency needs of local disaster-relief agencies, MapLAC is also interested in assisting these and other government agencies with preparatory measures and training to use GIS technology during disasters. Datadin said that he and the other Guyanese volunteer, who was also a GIS specialist, had offered to train personnel at the Civil Defence Commission to use the technology. "We have actually alerted all the regional disaster agencies of our availability with the offer to train persons to respond to disasters and assist in GIS which basically pull in recent satellite images," he said. The organisation had assisted in the Suriname flood in 2006 and also in Jamaica when Hurricane Dean had struck the island.

Source : http://www.stabroeknews.com