By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud, who piloted the Lands Surveyors’ Profession (Amendment) Bill told the National Assembly on Thursday (January 16) that the profession had not been given due recognition for its role in promoting national development.
He reminded of several outstanding sons and daughters, including Former President Arthur Chung, who was a Land Surveyor. The Minister also pointed out that currently there are not sufficient Surveyors to meet the needs of the public and private sectors.
Persaud told the House that complaints of ethics and professionalism have plagued the profession along with reports of persons purporting to be Land surveyors when they are not. He said this has led to a host of issues and it is for this reason that the amendment was necessary.
He called for members of the profession to ensure that their conduct and practice are in keeping with the laws. According to Minister Persaud, the amendments were derived from extensive talks with practitioners and the Private Sector and are intended to address the loop holes which exist in the Act, which allowed practitioners to ‘get away with murder’.
He explained that the amendments are geared towards seeing the practice regulated and developing a code of conduct for workers and for associated penalties for breaches. The Land Surveyors’ Act was last amended in 1973.
The Minister also noted that there was no provision for recognizing modern technology – Geographical Positioning Systems (GPS).
The amendments were supported by both the Alliance for Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
