Lands and Survey have installed a new GPS satellite base station on the roof of the Elgin Avenue office building. After a month of testing the system is now up and running and is receiving signals from both GPS and GLONASS satellites.

The new base station is part of a network of stations on Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands which transmit positioning information over the cell phone network. This enables Land Surveyors and other Geomatics Professionals to achieve extremely accurate GPS positioning in real time. The Cayman Islands GPS stations also provide essential data for the international network of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), co-ordinated by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) in America.

A similar upgrade is currently in progress in Cayman Brac, with Little Cayman to follow. The new base stations utilize the latest technology, can receive improved satellite signals, and are part of the Department’s commitment to providing a world class service to the private sector and other government departments.

For technical information please see http://www.caymanlandinfo.ky/Services/GeodeticSystem/tabid/187/Default.aspx

Advertising sales for The 2012 Official & Most Excellent Map have commenced.  

If you would like to purchase an advert on the 2012 Official & Most Excellent Map please contact Neil de Vere with Ktone at neil.devere@ktone.ky or (345) 926 -2676.  He will be happy to provide information as to the space available, costs, deadlines, etcetera.

“The Official & Most Excellent Map of the Cayman Islands” is the “must have” item for every visitor and local resident. 150,000 copies of “The Official & Most Excellent Map of the Cayman Islands” will be distributed in 2012.  High-quality cartography and symbols highlight major landmarks on the islands, and your business can be one of them.  Along with your advertisement, your business will have associated location markers right on the map so visitors will know exactly where to find you.

“The Official & Most Excellent Map of the Cayman Islands” will be distributed to 120+ locations, including the airport, hotels, condos, restaurants, banks, shopping plazas, dive shops, post offices, car rental agencies, gas stations, liquor stores and the Department of Tourism.  In addition to the huge quantity of visitors that will view your advertisement, the map will also be delivered to every mail box on Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac.  This mailing distribution amounts to an additional 12,000 local recipients.

A few of the many distribution locations are:

·    Owen Roberts International Airport

·    Andy’s Rent-A-Car

·    Big Daddy’s

·    Tortuga Liquors

·    Blackbeard’s

·    Foster’s Supermarkets

·    Hurley’s

·    Kirks Supermarket

·    Pedro St. James Castle

·    The Reef Resort

·    Sunshine Suites

·    Morritt’s

·    Cayman Beach Suites

·    The Brewery

·    Café de Sol locations

·    ESSO locations

·    Texaco locations

·    Lands & Survey Department

·    Department of Planning Reception

·    Vehicle Licencing Department

Get your business seen in the most prestigious free publication in Cayman Islands.  Spaces will go quickly so reserve your ad today!  We are certain you will want your establishment to be a part of this highly sought after publication.

This Official & Most Excellent Map features the most up-to-date GIS data for the Cayman Islands. The maps features dive sites around all 3 of the Cayman Islands, traffic lights, ATMs, grocery stores, beach accesses, clinics, hospitals, and police stations. We’ve also highlighted areas of interests using a different colour for retail, hospital, school and church locations amongst others.

Again information for purchasing an advert on the 2012 Official & Most Excellent Map can be obtained through contacting Neil de Vere with Ktone at neil.devere@ktone.ky or (345) 926 -2676.  He will be happy to provide information as to the space available, costs, deadlines, etcetera.

If you would like to help distribute the 2011 Official & Most Excellent Map at your business location(s) please contact mapping.info@gov.ky.

Jerry Banks was recently promoted to the substantive post of Geomatician on 1st April 2011. This duly reflects the amount of knowledge and experience he has gained over the years and the level of responsibility he is entrusted with as a senior member of staff in charge of the Cayman Brac office of Lands and Survey.

Jerry has been with Lands and Survey Department for almost 25 years. During this time, in addition to gaining valuable experience from many challenging projects, he has completed various studies overseas - including that of the Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Surveying and Mapping from the University of East London. Consequently, he has steadily progressed within the Department up to his present senior position.

Jerry states that: “I am pleased to have been given the promotion. I have worked hard to provide surveying services for the people of Cayman Brac and it was kind of the Department to recognize the effort I have made. I look forward to improving myself wherever I can and will continue serve my fellow Caymanians to the best of my ability”.

He is now pursuing membership of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Darren Kelly, a young Caymanian, has returned to Lands and Survey after successfully completing a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Surveying and Mapping at the University of East London in June of this year. Although a 3-year course, Darren completed it in two years, having been exempted from the first year because of his 2-year certificate course (Land Surveying Technician) from the University of Technology.

Upon his return, he was promoted to the post of Surveying Technician I, a relatively senior field surveyor’s position within the Survey Unit. Darren says that he is “glad to have finally completed his studies and looks forward to placing the knowledge gained into practice. Lands and Survey, as well as the Cayman Islands Government, has assisted me from the start when I showed interest in land surveying and, with their continued training and support, I have been able to get where I am today.” 

Darren will now focus on becoming a Member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) and being internationally recognized as a true professional. 

The Director, the Chief Surveyor, the staff of Lands and Survey, along with the Ministry of DAWL&A, all extend congratulations to Darren on this major achievement. It is testimony to his hard work and dedication.

Douglas Sterling recently joined the Lands and Surveying Department in June 2011 as a Surveying Technician II. He brings with him over 10 years of land surveying experience gained in other Caribbean countries with similar cadastres – most notably Anguilla, Bahamas, Bermuda and Jamaica.

Douglas holds a BSc (Honours) degree in Surveying and Geographic Information Science. He looks forward to sharing his experience with his co-workers as well as gaining insight into the surveying methodology practiced in the Cayman Islands.

Congratulations to Jackie Carter and Joy Powell for completing the certification course 'Qualification in Land Registration Law and Practice'. Jackie and Joy both work in the Land Registry division of Lands & Survey and studied online in addition to their regular work load.

The certificate course offered by The College of Law is a one-year foundation course in which each student completes six assignments. The course covers the real property law underpinning land registration, land registration law and Land Registry legal and plans practice. Thank you, Jackie and Joy, for your hard work and commitment.

The Lands & Survey department is pleased to announce that GIS Assistant (Trainee) Kristy Groves has begun her studies at American Sentinel University to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The online, four year program offered by American Sentinel University is module-based, allowing students the flexibility to schedule coursework around their work schedule.

Kristy is an outstanding member of the GIS team, and we commend her for her hard work and dedication to the GIS profession.

A Change in the Lineup

Over the years, many of our customers have worked with Garry Green, our GIS Manager, and are familiar with his cheerful, capable manner. Last week, Garry moved on to a position in the private sector, where he will take on new challenges and opportunities. We here at Lands & Survey thank him for his many valuable contributions over the years and wish him the very best in his adventures.

Meanwhile, Ryan Pream will be Acting GIS Manager here at Lands & Survey. If you have questions for Ryan, or about GIS (Geographic Information Systems) products or services, you can reach him at 244-3693 or by email.

Notice: Facilities Management (including Civic Center bookings)

Please note that the delivery of Facilities Management services has transferred from Lands & Survey to Ministry of District Administration, Works, Lands & Agriculture at the new Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue.

For all enquiries regarding the new Government Administration Building, the Environmental Centre or about any Civic Center, please contact:

• Richard Sanfilippo at 244-3432 (richard.sanfilippo@gov.ky)
• Adam McLaren at 244-3512 (adam.mclaren@gov.ky)
• Trisha Jackson at 244-3412 (trisha.jackson@gov.ky)

This year’s map features Cayman's own Blue Iguana on the front cover. The photograph was provided courtesy of John Binns from the International Reptile Conservation Foundation. Please visit www.IRCF.org for more information on the organization. For further information on how you can help the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme located in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, please visit www.blueiguana.ky.

This Official & Most Excellent Map features some cartographical upgrades from last year’s Official Map along with a restaurant guide and other useful information. As always, the advertiser’s locations are listed on the map via a reference number. Upgrades include updating some of the symbols, adding traffic lights and the four-way stop locations, and a coastal vignette. In addition, a bus route map for Grand Cayman has been added as an insert on the Grand Cayman map. We’ve also highlighted areas of interests using a different color for retail, hospital, school and church locations amongst others.

In anticipation of the 2012 Official & Most Excellent Map being on island for the 2011 Holiday Season, we are going to start acquiring adverts as early as August 2011. This provides time to fill up all the spaces with advertisers and obtain their artwork before our publication deadline. If you are interested in placing an advert on the 2012 Official & Most Excellent Map please contact Ryan Pream or Anna Verrill for further information.

If you would like to help distribute the Official & Most Excellent Map at your business location(s) please contact Anna Verrill.