Need for surveyors to upgrade

 By HELEN TARAWA

SURVEYORS will have to keep up with the new and rapid changing technology or be left behind, says the incoming president of the Surveyor’s Association Mill McKibben.

Speaking at the 48th annual Survey Congress last week, he said the good thing is that it brings together surveyors to learn about the latest technology and software.

“It’s fairly a rapid change and it’s changing all the time and really it’s a matter of keeping up, or we are left behind and that’s the good thing, the participants from overseas go through the software and technology with us at this congress,” he said.

McKibben had recently been appointed as president and would formally take over from Tony Luben at the annual general meeting of the surveyors today.

It is understood that at the meet, there would be a change of name from Association of Surveyors to Institute of Surveyors of PNG.

About 100 surveyors, GIS Cartographers, lands and mapping specialists from the public and private sector are attending the three-day congress.

“We do have few female surveyors, mainly cartographers and GIS specialists and in terms of membership, we hope to increase after this congress. 

“There are a lot of surveyors out there who are not members and we are inviting them to come and be a part of the association,” he said.

Mckibben said every time there is a meeting to do with land development they are criticised for the high cost of surveying fees 

“People do not appreciate the time, effort and money involved in getting a surveyor out in the field; they do not appreciate the technology that we have to keep up with and what it costs.”

He said the fees charged cover a combination of everything, airfares, accommodation, cost of instruments and software and none of which is cheap.

“From comments we received so far, the two opening addresses were well-received and we are going to have a successful congress,” Mckibben said.

Simon Yambaki from Yambaki Surveys said fees are driven by instrumentation, which is very costly. 

“This is the profession where we executives survey with instruments that are upgraded every time so the cost is high.

“The software is controlled and we have to purchase with a high price and the licence cost is about K25, 000 to K30,000.

“We take into consideration the risks and challenges involved in travelling to the sites and that drives the high cost.