Geospatial Capacity Assessment of Saint Lucia June 2023 © 2017 The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org Some rights reserved This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: “World Bank. 2023. Geospatial Capacity Assessment of Saint Lucia. © World Bank.� All queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522- 2625; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org. Executive Summary Saint Lucia is a Caribbean nation with a population of approximately 180,000 persons. The island is exposed to various natural hazards of a hydrometeorological and seismic nature, making its population, economy, and critical infrastructure vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters. Through the World Bank and other development partners, the Government of Saint Lucia has benefitted from significant investments in the development of its Geospatial Capabilities. In particular, the World Bank funded Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project has provided significant support to the upgrade of GIS equipment, Capacity Building, Institutional Strengthening and Data Acquisition including the completion of the first LiDAR topographic and bathymetric survey of the island completed in 2022. The Digital Earth for Resilient Caribbean aims to raise awareness and enhance local capacity in the Caribbean to make use of Earth Observation (EO) data and services in support of resilient infrastructure and housing operations seeks to build upon previous investments and initiatives to achieve its mandate. This Assessment was undertaken to assist in determining the support that would be required. The Development of a Spatial Data Infrastructure is not a national priority but there is a general movement towards the digitalization of Government processes. Saint Lucia has made initial steps towards the establishment of a National Spatial Data Infrastructure and has prepared a Draft NSDI Policy, which will be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers for consideration and approval in the near future. Saint Lucia has a wide range of geospatial datasets available including high resolution orthophotos and lidar but lacks a robust and reliable spatial data sharing portal where this data can be accessed. Portals have been established in the past but have gone offline due to lack of funding, capacity and interest in maintaining them. The existing Geoservices portal has great potential and can become a robust National spatial data sharing portal with some enhancement. An updated data inventory and catalogue is also necessary to avoid the duplication of data collection efforts by various stakeholders, even for data what will not be shared as open data. Metadata on these datasets has been lacking or non-existent which affects the confidence with which these datasets can be used. There are many experienced and skilled GIS users in the Government who use geospatial data in their work. However, there are few GIS-specific positions in the Government of Saint Lucia, leading many of these persons to pursue other career paths. Over the past 20 years, ESRI has been the most widely used software platform by GIS users. However, due to limited funding for the maintenance of software licenses and increased exposure to Opensource GIS, QGIS and other opensource tools are more widely used in Saint Lucia. Saint Lucia has begun to adopt the use of drone technology for mapping. Currently the Ministry of Agriculture has a Drone Team undertaking frequent mapping missions. The National Emergency Management Organisation and Saint Lucia Fire Service own enterprise drones with mapping capabilities and can be trained to use them for this purpose. To leverage the progress made by Saint Lucia in recent years with the adoption of Geospatial Technology, the Government of Saint Lucia can benefit from support from the Digital Earth for Resilient Caribbean Project through: • Capacity Building in various areas including the use of drone technology and data visualization • Technical Assistance with the development of products and tools leveraging Lidar and other recently acquired data. • Further technical guidance and support with respect to the implementation of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Policy for Saint Lucia. Based on the current level of interest and capacity in Geospatial technology, there is great potential for Saint Lucia to leverage the recent investments for improving its decision making and disaster resilience capability. Acknowledgements This report was elaborated by a World Bank team composed of Christopher Williams, Geospatial Consultant, Michael Fedak, Data Management and GIS Consultant, Nuala Cowan, Disaster Risk Management Consultant, Mira Gupta, Program Design and Evaluation Consultant, and under the supervision of Pierre Chrzanowski, Disaster Risk Management Specialist. The team wishes to acknowledge the ministries, agencies and individual stakeholders who shared information and opinions on Saint Lucia’s current capacity to use geospatial technology. This report would not have been possible without their input. These Stakeholders include: Suzanna Aurelien, Geographic Information Officer; Joel Ramine, Ministry of Agriculture; Phil Leon, Biostatistician, Department of Health Wellness and Elderly Affairs; Howard Wells, National Integrated Programme and Planning Unit (NIPP); Project Coordination Unit, Department of Economic Development; Department of Physical Development and Urban Renewal; Saint Lucia Electricity Services Ltd; Central Statistics Office; Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Transport; Members of the National GIS Technical Committee; Members of the National GIS Steering Committee. This report is part of the World Bank Project Digital Earth for Resilient Caribbean financed by a grant from the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). Content Acronyms 1 Acknowledgements 3 Executive Summary 3 Introduction 3 Institutional Arrangements 6 People 14 Data 27 Systems 39 Conclusions 44 Bibliography 46 Acronyms CAPI Computer-Assisted Personal Interview CARCIP Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Programme CDB Caribbean Development Bank CDEMA Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency CIR Colour Infrared CPL City Planning Labs DPDUR Department of Physical Development and Urban Renewal DPSM Department of Public Sector Modernization DVRP Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project EO Earth Observation FAO Food and Agriculture Organization GIS Geographic Information Systems GPS Global Positioning System IGIF Integrated Geospatial Information Framework LUCELEC Saint Lucia Electricity Services Ltd NEMO National Emergency Management Organisation NGCC National GIS Coordinating Committee NGTC National GIS Technical Committee NIPP National Infrastructure Programme and Planning (Unit) NSDI National Spatial Data Infrastructure OECS Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States RRACC Reduce Risks to Human and Natural Assets Resulting from Climate Change 1 UNOPS United Nations Office for Project Services USAID United States Agency for International Development WASCO Water and Sewerage Company WFP World Food Programme WMS Web Map Service WRMA Water Resource Management Agency 2 Introduction The Caribbean region is exposed to a variety of natural hazards including hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic activity, which are becoming more severe and more frequent, and when disasters strike, housing, transportation networks and public facilities such as hospitals and schools, are particularly vulnerable. In many Caribbean countries, there is limited government capacity to assess, develop, and efficiently use baseline geospatial data to support decision-making around resilient infrastructure. Government capacity to manage reconstruction and/or mitigation efforts is also impeded by a lack of interagency coordination and incomplete and inconsistent vulnerability data to indicate risk for both population and property. Producing and updating information necessary for governments to improve resilience requires building local skills. An ecosystem approach is needed to facilitate information production and associated quality assurance measures to meet local and regional data demands. The challenge also presents an opportunity to build digital skills at different technical levels in both the private and public sectors; this could range from simple tasks that can be done at scale (i.e. identification of baseline features from imagery, determining the attributes of these features from aerial or street view images, or the collection of points of interest using mobile phones) to more sophisticated tasks such as data quality control, and spatial analyses. National and regional governments and academic institutions in the Caribbean have indicated that post- disaster reconstruction, urban planning and upgrading, and related services are impeded by the inability to maintain and host exposure data. Despite several existing studies and methodological approaches, there are gaps in the consistent coverage and quality of databases on buildings and infrastructure across the Caribbean region. Local institutions often lack training in the application of more advanced analytical models and methodologies to strengthen decision-making, such as techniques to monitor changes over time or integrate different data sources. The World Bank Technical Assistance project; Digital Earth for Resilient Infrastructure and Housing in the Caribbean (Digital Earth for Resilient Caribbean) aims to raise awareness and enhance local capacity in the Caribbean to make use of Earth Observation (EO) data and services in support of resilient infrastructure and housing operations. Grant activities will leverage previous resilience projects in the region, building on methodological approaches, data models, and expertise. The grant components are as follows: 3 1. Component 1: Capacity building for the use of EO data, tools, and services in support of resilient infrastructure and housing operations by Caribbean countries. This includes training for government officials, university students and other key stakeholders, on GIS skills, EO data and services, machine learning models, geospatial data analytics, community mapping and the management of geospatial data platforms; 2. Component 2: Operational support for the generation, integration and use of baseline datasets to support disaster risk management objectives, engaging with World Bank operations and clients to confirm and refine data needs, support the generation of new data layers through a combination of EO and targeted field-based interventions (leveraging existing datasets), ensure the integration of resulting layers into existing data platforms and support subsequent geospatial data analysis. 3. Component 3: Knowledge exchange and dissemination to promote the approach and results to other countries in the Region. The first component aims to enhance the capacity of local institutions and local stakeholders to develop, utilize and integrate EO data into locally owned spatial data infrastructures and workflows, and to ensure the uptake and local ownership of baseline data produced through this grant activity. The first phase of this component is a capacity assessment to determine the capacities of local institutions to leverage their digital resources (this includes government, universities, tech hubs and companies). Stakeholders who are eligible for training will be identified in this assessment stage and may include teams of civil servants, university departments, and local firms/consultants in data science/geospatial services. Purpose and Scope This capacity assessment is intended to provide a snapshot of the current geospatial capacity of agencies and stakeholders as well as provide a summary of ongoing geospatial initiatives currently taking place in Saint Lucia. This will assist in the identification of areas where impactful Technical Assistance can be provided through the Digital Earth Project. The assessment focuses on the capacity of agencies within the government of Saint Lucia as well as all relevant non-governmental actors and institutions. Methodology The structure and methodology of the assessment are adapted from the Municipal Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) Manual developed by the World Bank City Planning Labs (CPL). An MSDI functions as the platform by which geospatial information can be organized, shared, and leveraged to tackle the many challenges of sustainable urban development. Human, legal and technical aspects are an integral part of the MSDI framework, and inform the strategic investments needed by governments to support 4 coordinated data-driven planning efforts1. CPL’s MSDI implementation strategy has four pillars, collectively known as the IPDS framework, namely: 1. Institutional Arrangements 2. People 3. Data 4. Systems The examination of capacity for St. Lucia has been conducted in alignment with the MSDI IPDS framework structure. Saint Lucia has a fair amount of information on the capacity of various government agencies; as several GIS capacity assessments have been conducted over the past 5-10 years. For the purpose of this particular assessment, structured interviews were not conducted, instead; focal points from each of the government agencies were contacted to confirm or update the information captured in the previous assessment reports. The table below provides an outline of the themes assessed under each institutional pillar. MSDI Assessment Deep Dive: Pillar Theme Institutional Establishment of geospatial data infrastructure at the national level Arrangements Availability of financial resources for geospatial development Collaboration with GoSL MDAs, academia and private sector Government central funding Data policy aimed to return on investment Private sector and academia involvement Legal framework from SDI strategy, and access to information People Awareness of the value of geospatial data infrastructure and the use of geospatial data Availability of sustained and skilled manpower to undertake geospatial tasks at the city-level Capacity for geospatial development (e.g., skills training, SDI knowledge training, availability of geospatial education and courses) Human capital Spatial data education 1 CPL Municipal Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) Manual: https://collaboration.worldbank.org/content/sites/collaboration-for-development/en/groups/city-planning- labs/documents.entry.html/2021/03/18/_manual_cpl_municipalspatialdatainfrastructure-2Rxa.html 5 Individual leadership Data Availability of city data in geospatial format Establishment and implementation of SDI policies and standards Establishment of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and business cases for the use of geospatial Digital data/cartography availability Metadata availability Data standards Systems Availability of supporting ICT enablers Availability of geospatial software and hardware Establishment and operationalisation of geoportals Web connectivity and Telecommunication Infrastructure Access to web mapping Geospatial software Own development / open source Institutional Arrangements The successful implementation of a national spatial data infrastructure depends on the development and implementation of regulations and protocols for spatial data management as well as a clear organizational structure (with well-defined roles and responsibilities) to enable execution. This section will provide an overview of the state of institutional arrangements related to spatial data infrastructure in Saint Lucia. geospatial data infrastructure implementation at the National Level NSDI Implementation Analysis Discussion of the establishment of a Centralised GIS and National SDI have been ongoing for decades in Saint Lucia. Various iterations of GIS working groups have been established and have had varying degrees of success in promoting the value of geospatial data and encouraging the GOSL to invest further in GIS2. The first major GIS initiative started in 1995 with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) which focused on the digitisation of hard-copy maps. This was followed by initiatives that have led to capacity building, the acquisition of equipment and the production of spatial data products. The establishment of a centralised GIS unit was officially proposed in a report created by Institut Geographique National (IGN) in 2008. A feasibility study was produced by a team of experts from IGN (France) on the requirements for establishing a National GIS in Saint Lucia. The outputs of this study 2 Progress Report, Spatial Data Coordinator, Nigel Marshall, May, 2014 6 were: A roadmap for the implementation of a GIS, Specifications for databases, hardware and software required including specifications for updated topographic mapping and imagery, and the establishment of a CORS network. The study also proposed the structure for a central GIS unit within the Ministry of Planning now the Department of Physical Development and Urban Renewal (DPDUR). The office of the Chief Surveyor which falls within the Department of Physical Development and Urban Renewal, is defined in the Land Surveyors’ Act as the legal authority on matters related to cadastral surveys and mapping. In addition, this unit serves as the default focal point for GIS matters at the national level. Despite the aforementioned, initiatives involving geospatial data and technology do occur without the direct involvement of the DPDUR. In 2019, the Government of Saint Lucia engaged the services of consultants Kadaster and KU Leuven (joint venture) to support the implementation of an NSDI for Saint Lucia. This included an analysis of the current institutional, legislative, fiscal and technical situation in Saint Lucia with regard to spatial data management. The findings were used to develop a strategy to implement the changes required for the establishment of an NSDI. The figure below was prepared by the firm(s) based on the analysis of data custodians and users in Saint Lucia. Figure 1 Spatial data exchange in SLU (Kadaster, 2019) The outputs from the consultancy which ended in 2020 were: 1. Change Strategy Report provides four scenarios for transitioning to the establishment of an NSDI. Focus is placed on describing the implementation roadmap for the optimal scenario and the steps required to attain and sustain NSDI in Saint Lucia, inclusive of financial implications, timelines and risk analysis. 2. Legal Enabling Options Report, provides ten options for reforming the legislation related to geographic information and describes the strengths and weaknesses of these options 7 3. Legal Change Plan Report defines a plan for implementing legislative, regulatory and policy changes required for NSDI, inclusive of timelines and estimated costs of these actions. 4. Legal Review Report provides an analysis of the laws, regulations and policies in Saint Lucia related to NSDI and identification of any major gaps. 5. The Strategy Analysis Report provides an analysis of the present (2019) technical and institutional status in terms of NSDI readiness; this report formed the basis of the change strategy report. 6. Business Analysis Approach Report, which described the team’s approach to completing the tasks within its scope of work. The consultants proposed additional support for the implementation of the NSDI through an addendum to the project. In early 2022, the Consultants were contracted to provide NSDI implementation support based on an updated version of their initial proposal. The firm submitted several deliverables while providing technical advice and assistance including: 1. Technical Infrastructure Report 2. Governance and Capacity Building Report 3. Spatial Data and Metadata Standards Report 4. Draft NSDI Policy 5. NSDI Geoportal and an Interface Development Report The consultants analysed the institutional arrangements related to SDI in Saint Lucia and proposed that the focal point for SDI could potentially be housed in one of three agencies 1. The Department of Physical Development and Urban Renewal DPDUR 2. National Integrated Planning and Programme Unit NIPP (Department of Finance) 3. Department of Public Sector Modernisation DPSM The strengths and weaknesses of each agency were flagged. Analysis of the three agencies are summarised below: Position SDI-related Geo/GIS Infrastructur Broad Position in Public capabilities capabilities e focus on government service spatial focus data DPDUR - + + 0 - - NIPP - + 0 + + 0 DPSM - - 0 0 0 + 8 In this matrix SDI Capabilities relate to in-house capacity to manage a spatial data infrastructure. Since a full NSDI has not yet been established in Saint Lucia all agencies are considered to be weak in this area. NIPP and DPDUR were rated as strong in terms of GIS Capabilities since both agencies use GIS applications in their day-to-day operations. DPDUR was found to have the best technical infrastructure for hosting the NSDI as they already have servers, workstations and other hardware procured for managing geospatial data and they are the custodians of several key datasets. NIPP was considered to be the strongest agency for leveraging the value of Geospatial data and has the greatest influence on driving policy to promote the implementation of an NSDI. Finally, due to DPSM’s wider mandate for the implementation of E-Government in Saint Lucia, they are seen as having the greatest focus on serving the wider public. Based on assessment of the six criteria in the matrix, the analysis suggests that NIPP may be the best suited agency to serve as the focal point for NSDI Implementation. Before 2020, DPDUR did not have an official GIS Unit. A GIS Unit was formed through the reclassification of existing staff within the Department and the recruitment of one new GIS Officer. This unit's workload however remains primarily focused on the maintenance of the cadastral maps of Saint Lucia and not on the management of GIS within GoSL. The NIPP was established in 2018 and its mandate is focused on improving the Government’s asset and infrastructure management including the assessment of risks and exposure to natural hazards to inform medium to long-term planning regarding investments in national infrastructure. This team has received technical assistance in the development of asset management systems from the World Bank, UNOPS and the University of Oxford. DPSM considers its 3 programme areas to be: 1. ICT and E-Government, 2. Information Management, 3. Process Reengineering and Analysis Knowledge and Re-engineering. This department served as the focal point for the upgrades to the Government’s network and telecommunication infrastructure under the CARCIP Initiative. DPSM is also the focal agency for Open Data and hosted the Saint Lucia Open Data Portal from 2018 – 2021. This portal is currently offline. In 2016, DPSM coordinated Saint Lucia’s first major OpenStreetMap (OSM) mapathon which led to over 50,000 map changes in OSM. The agency continues to serve as the focal point for mainstreaming of ICT into the processes of the Government of Saint Lucia. Currently, the DPSM collaborates with several agencies to enable them to offer various services through an online portal known as DigiGov. 9 National GIS Technical Committee (NGTC) and National GIS Coordinating Committee (NGCC) To encourage a more structured approach to the development of a National GIS, circa 2014/2015 3 Terms of Reference were prepared (with the assistance of the World Bank) for the establishment of a National GIS Technical Committee and a National GIS Coordination Committee (TOR still current as of September 2022). Based on the Terms of Reference, the following agencies are members of the NGTC and NGCC: 1. Ministry of Physical Development, Housing and Urban Renewal 2. Department of Planning and National Development 3. Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Social Security 4. Central Statistical Office (CSO) 5. Forestry Department 6. Ministry of Public Service, Information and Broadcasting 7. Ministry of Agriculture, Food Production, Fisheries and Rural Development 8. Ministry of Health, Wellness, Human Services and Gender Relations 9. Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training 10. Ministry of Tourism, Heritage, and the Creative Industries 11. Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment 12. Ministry of Infrastructure, Port Services and Transport 13. Inland Revenue Department (Property Tax Division) 14. Water Resource Management Agency (WRMA) 15. St Lucia Fire Service 16. Institute of Surveyors 17. National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) 18. Water and Sewerage Company Inc (WASCO) 19. Saint Lucia Electricity Services (LUCELEC) 20. ICT Association of Saint Lucia This list is based on the agencies who have previously shown interest in participating in NGTC/NGCC activities and does not in any way limit other agencies from participating. These Committees generally meet in response to a specific ongoing initiative such as completing deliverables within the consultancy for NSDI Implementation support. Outside of this, these committees have not met regularly although the NGTC tends to meet more frequently than the NGCC. The Committees require a stronger mandate, 3 Conversation with A. Abraham Jan 31, 2022 10 which would come from Cabinet endorsement and recognition. Each committee is also recommended to develop an annual work plan at the beginning of each year. Data policy aimed to return on investment The NSDI Consultants prepared a draft NSDI policy for Saint Lucia. The policy development process was prefaced by a readiness assessment using the IGIF Methodology. This policy was finalised in May 2023 based on feedback from and in consultation with the NGTC and NGCC. Once prepared the Policy will need to be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers to make it an official national policy. Geospatial data technology does not currently appear to be a national priority and is not widely perceived as a major catalyst for national development. However, there are operational applications of GIS that have been implemented that are likely to continue to receive the support of the Government such as: 1. Use of Computer Assisted Personal Interview Applications (CAPI) for field data collection (e.g. Census 2020) 2. The use of geospatial data to assess the exposure and vulnerability of critical infrastructure and asset information management systems 3. Remote sensing using drones for land management and monitoring of agriculture and the natural environment One of the priority areas for the current administration is the development of the youth economy through technical and vocational skills development and providing support to young entrepreneurs. If opportunities for youth entrepreneurship with geospatial technologies can be clearly articulated, this is likely to receive support. An aspect of data policy which requires strengthening is the data sharing policy. The government of Saint Lucia has an Open Data Policy which was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in 2017. However, this policy has not been fully implemented. A major component of the policy involves making open data readily available to the public through the Open Data Portal. This portal has been offline since 2021. The policy encourages the proactive publication of datasets by the government under the principle of data being ‘Open by Default’, hence data should only remain unpublished for valid reasons such as the protection of Personal data or national security. Outside of the Open Data Policy, agencies do not have standard operating procedures to govern the sharing of data within the government and with external data users. Financial resources for geospatial development Geospatial Development initiatives have typically been financed through external funding. The central government does not generally invest heavily in GIS training, software, hardware or staffing through its 11 annual budget. However, several recent and ongoing initiatives have provided significant investment in GIS development through consultancy services, technical assistance, equipment and software. It is expected that the Cabinet of Ministers will consider the NSDI Policy for approval before the end of 2023. If approved, the GoSL would be expected to include an allocation for the proposed NSDI Unit in the 2024/2025 national budget. Table 2: Externally funded GIS investments Activity Name Period Source Approximate Value (USD) Lidar Topographic and 2020-2023 World Bank (DVRP) 900,000 Bathymetric Mapping Open-Source GIS 2021 World Bank (DVRP) 200,000 Training IT Upgrades for DPDUR 2020 World Bank (DVRP) 1,100,000 Purchase of Autodesk 2018 World Bank (DVRP) 320,000 Licenses Purchase of IT 2019 World Bank (DVRP) 100,000 Equipment for St. Lucia Fire Service M300 Search and 2021 World Bank (DVRP) 80,000 Rescue Drones and Pix4d for SLFS and NEMO NSDI Implementation 2019-2023 World Bank (DVRP) 600,000 Support from Kadaster/KU Leuven Development of 2022-2023 World Bank (DVRP) 300,000 Hydromet Portal by CIMA/Deltares OpenCities 2022-2023 HOT/GFDRR/Swiss RE 60,000 OpenStreetMap Foundation Initiative Assessment and 2022-2023 World Bank (DVRP) 800,000 Rehabilitation of Major Rivers Training in Drone 2022 FAO 70,000 Mapping and Supply of P4P Drones Technical Assistance in 2017-2019 World Bank not specified the use of Survey Solutions National Infrastructure 2020 UNOPS not specified Assessment and Database for Evidence- Based Infrastructure 12 Development of a Road 2019 World Bank not specified Asset Management System GIS Training and 2016 OECS RRACC (USAID 80,000 Equipment for the Financed) Water and Sewerage Company Provision of ESRI 2022/2023 UNFPA 20,000 Licenses for Census Provision of Android 2019 UNFPA not specified Tablets for Census 2020 CDB/OECS Enhanced CPA Collaboration with GoSL, academia and the private sector A number of governmental inter-agency collaborations exist, as well as collaborations between the Government of Saint Lucia and academic institutions, but many of these collaborations have not been formalised. NGTC/NGCC Although these committees go through long periods of dormancy, they have great potential for coordinating inter-agency collaboration. These committees are further described in terms of their roles and composition in 4.1.1.1 Saint Lucia Meteorological Services (SLMS) and Water Resources Management Agency (WRMA) These two agencies fall within separate Departmental portfolios (Department of Infrastructure and Department of Agriculture), the agencies collaborate closely on the maintenance of systems and equipment, training programmes and data sharing. Although SLMS does not have an IT Officer, the Information Systems Manager from the WRMA provides them with significant technical support. Non-Governmental Partnerships Linkage with Academia The Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) is the only indigenous tertiary institution in Saint Lucia. In 2021 the SALCC started offering a course in Introduction to GIS. During this same time frame, a training programme in Open-Source GIS was offered to all NSDI stakeholder agencies; this training programme was funded by the DVRP and was developed and delivered by the consulting firm Kartoza. DPDUR intended to hand over the training materials to the SALCC, to facilitate the continued delivery of the training. This proved difficult as the college uses adjunct staff to deliver its current GIS courses, and 13 has no permanent in-house GIS capacity, as a result, the handover for reuse by SALCC has not happened to date. Open Street Map Community In January 2022, the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team contracted a local implementation team to participate in the OpenCities initiative in Saint Lucia. HOT contracted Nouvel Strategies, a local consultancy company. The team consists of a software developer, an OSM organizer from the United States, a consultant who previously worked with DPSM on Open Data and a GIS Specialist with work experience at DPDUR as well as with the implementation of Component 2 of the DVRP. The team has focused on building capacity in mapping with OSM, providing several training sessions in Remote Mapping, Field Mapping, Validation using JOSM (and other tools) and introduction to the use of other tools such as Overpass Turbo. Government Agencies such as DPDUR, the Saint Lucia Fire Service, the Department of Housing and Local Government and the Central Statistics Office have participated in this initiative. The main non-governmental participant in this initiative has been the Youth Emergency Action Committee (YEAC). Students from the SALCC Introduction to GIS have also been actively involved in the OpenCities initiative by attending training sessions, and mapathons and assisting with the validation process. People HUMAN CAPITAL The Local Labor Market Mass emigration among the working age population is a significant challenge for all countries in the Caribbean region. In recent years unemployment in Saint Lucia has often hovered around 20-25 per cent and has risen above 40 per cent for youth unemployment.4 Aside from the overall, lack of jobs; GIS professionals face the challenge of sufficient positions to match their specific skill set. Approximately 39 per cent of Saint Lucia’s population are emigrants who are now based in other countries.5 In 2020, the top locations for migrants from Saint Lucia were the United States (47.7 per cent), Europe (24.2 per cent) and elsewhere in the Caribbean (17.2 per cent).6 Among those who leave, many have completed tertiary education. Such large outflows of high-skilled workers often create challenges in origin 4 International Monetary Fund. 2019. Explaining High Unemployment in ECCU Countries. 5 World Bank. 2023. International Migration in the Caribbean: A background paper for the World Development Report 2023. Pascal Jaupart. Washington, DC. 6 UN DESA (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs), Population Division. 2020. International Migrant Stock 2020. 14 countries. Skills gaps resulting from these migration patterns can appear in economic sectors such as education, health, information technology, agriculture and construction.7 The lower supply of educated workers can create productivity challenges for those who stay and losing highly educated individuals trained using public resources can lower the return on investment of publicly subsidized tertiary education. 8 In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the need for a digital transformation in Saint Lucia, so that the government, private sector and local labor force can effectively capitalize on the benefits of the digital economy.9 Even though it is an upper-middle income country, Saint Lucia was ranked 6th of six OECS countries in the International Telecommunications Union’s ICT Development Index, based on criteria such as digital infrastructure, digital platforms and facilitation.10 In 2020, the World Bank Group approved the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project for Saint Lucia, Dominica, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The project will support the development of ICT infrastructures including the utilization of open-source and cloud-based computing models. In the public sector, digital transformation can help to improve efficiency and service delivery. Government leaders need to understand emerging technologies and develop strategies to attract, create and retain ICT talent.11 In the private sector, digital technologies can be used to increase productivity and competitiveness. It can also support innovation and lower the cost of some business practices.12 In order to help achieve these gains, Saint Lucia is updating its education and vocational training programs to prioritize the development of digital skills, to ensure that citizens are able to adopt the new technologies being introduced and fully engage in the digital economy. Basic digital skills allow people to interact online, consumer digital goods and services, and develop e-business skills.13 According to the Caribbean Development Bank, the top digital skills and competencies that will be in demand in the region include programming, mobile application development, cybersecurity, big data, and artificial 7 Aragon, Estela and Alaa El-Assar. 2018. Migration Governance in the Caribbean. Report on the Island States of the Commonwealth Caribbean. San Jose, Costa Rica: International Organization for Migration. 8 World Bank, 2023. 9 Ibid 10 International Telecommunications Union (ITU). 2017. ICT Development Index. 11 Ram, Justin. 2021. Digital Transformation in the Eastern Caribbean. Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. 12 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 2019. Digital Government Review of Panama: Enhancing the Digital Transformation of the Public Sector. 13 Ram, 2021. 15 intelligence.14 In 2019, the Government of Saint Lucia approved the “ICT in Education� policy, and activities such as the World Bank’s Digital Transformation Project and Pro-Futuro Digital Education program, have worked to close the digital skills gap for adults and children.15 There has also been an emphasis on strengthening knowledge through several technical vocational education and training (TVET) programs, such as the Information Communication Technology Skills Development Programme, which provides training for young people ages 17 to 35, and the National Enrichment Learning Unit, which trains more than 1000 students annually. Institutions such as Sir Arthur Lewis Community College also promote continuing education, by offering degree and certification programs including training courses for industry and government.16 All of these factors create a complex environment in Saint Lucia for professionals with GIS skills. Many may choose to leave the country for better opportunities elsewhere, consistent with the pattern of high- skilled emigration. Those who stay in Saint Lucia may find opportunities to apply their skills in the public sector, the private sector or through starting their own businesses. While there continues to be a mismatch between available jobs and skills, the widespread recognition of the need to create a thriving digital economy suggest that there could be more opportunities on the horizon. As the government becomes more digital, there will be more ways in which GIS can be applied, whether through collecting geographic data, managing information, maintaining data and systems, or sharing knowledge across different government departments and ministries. The parallel process of digital transformation in the private sector could lead to new opportunities as businesses look to digitize their customer experience, products and services, and operations.17 Increased connectivity and investments in skills training could also create more opportunities for entrepreneurship. The landscape of the labor market in Saint Lucia is evolving, and investments in the digital economy could translate to more opportunities for GIS professionals. Public Sector Capacity The government of Saint Lucia has traditionally had a relatively small number of persons with capacity in GIS. This was compounded by the lack of user-friendly open-source GIS software packages and limited online learning resources. Over the past 20 years, most GIS users were exclusively competent in ESRI products. 14 Caribbean Development Bank. 2019. Digital for Caribbean Development. 15 Ram, 2021 16 Featuring the Caribbean: Saint Lucia matches skills and labour market needs with a lifelong learning perspective. 2017. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. 17 Cognizant. 2014. A Framework for Digital Business Transformation. 16 In 2021, Kartoza, in preparation for the delivery of GIS training interviewed the following staff members at the following agencies: Ministry of Health and Wellness - Dr Michelle Francois: National Epidemiologist • Department of Physical Planning - Hildreth Lewis: Deputy Permanent Secretary • National Emergency Management Organization - Maria Medard: Deputy Director • Division of Forest and Lands Resources - Rebecca Rock: Assistant Chief Forest Officer • Royal St Lucia Police Force - Inspector Kimroy Rene • Ministry of Finance, Research and Policy Unit - Janai Leonce: Chief Economist, Thervina Mathurin • Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP) - Angela Burnet: Climate Change Coordinator • Property Tax - Inland Revenue - Fleur Simmons: Acting Assistant Controller, Xan Fontenelle: Tax Officer II/ GIS Technician • National Integrated Planning & Program Unit - Haward Wells: Director • Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority - Justin Sealy: General Manager • Water Resources Management Authority - Jason Ernest: Director, Luther Tyson • Fire Services - David Antoine: Divisional Officer (Division A) 17 The table below shows the level of GIS utilization based on the feedback received before the delivery of the 2021 training. Table 3: GIS Utilisation Assessment (Kartoza, 2021) Department GIS Utiliisation DPDUR Moderate Health Underutilised St. Lucia Fire Service Unused SLSWMA Underutilised IRD (Property Tax) Underutilised Ministry of Finance Underutilised NIPP Moderate RSLPF Underutilised Forestry Division Moderate WRMA Underutilised Further to this, this figure shows the perceived levels of competency of GIS users at various agencies: Figure 2: GIS Capacity of Agencies in St. Lucia (Kartoza, 2021) Although a post-training assessment was not done, sixty people received some level of training through the consultancy and 8 were assessed to be advanced GIS users. A small survey of GIS users was conducted in May 2023 by the Digital Earth team to determine GIS use and proficiency by various stakeholders who have participated in recent GIS-related activities including NSDI Implementation and OpenCities. 60% of respondents were primarily public servants. 18 Most respondents stated that their agencies use GIS. According to the responses, agencies that do not currently use GIS are the Ministry of Education, Saint Lucia National Trust, NEMO and the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College. In the private sector, a local engineering firm also indicated that GIS was not currently used in the workplace. It should be noted that although the SALCC offers a GIS course, they do not currently have much in-house GIS capacity. More than 30% of respondents have been using GIS for over 10 years and another 23% have been using GIS for 5-10 years. Over 60% of respondents were fairly experienced GIS users. The fairly large percentage of respondents have less than 2 years of experience should be seen as promising since it shows that new persons are getting involved in the use of geospatial technologies. 19 All of the respondents indicated that they had a tertiary education in a wide range of subjects. The word cloud below provides a sense of the range of subjects studied as majors by the respondents; 20 Half of the survey respondents use QGIS as their main GIS software package with ArcGIS Desktop and AutoCAD being the 2nd and 3rd most widely used GIS software packages respectively. With respect to the use of various GIS methods and tools, the following results were noted: • 10% stated that they often use scripting, commands or model builders • 17% published web maps often • 40% Use GPS for field data collection often • 30% regularly use OpenDataKit (ODK) or other mobile data collection apps • 10% regularly use drones for mapping • 13% regularly create story maps or dashboards Over the past 6 years, the government of Saint Lucia, in particular, the DPDUR has indicated its interest in focusing on Open-Source GIS capacity due to the high cost of commercial GIS software. The DVRP has supported this approach through the financing of a training programme in Open-Source GIS. DPDUR, the agency with a mandate for mapping generally has a high buy-in to the value of GIS. However, mainstreaming and prioritization of GIS into the work programme of the department appear to be occurring at a slow pace. Three sections within the Department manage geospatial data. These are: 1. Survey and Mapping Section - Manages the acquisition and update of all geospatial information (aerial photographs, topographic maps), the national Cadastre (parcel geometry), cadastral survey plans, and the geodetic control network. This section is managed by the Chief Surveyor and has a Geographic Information Officer who manages the GIS section which consists of 2 GIS officers and 5 GIS Assistants. The 2022-2023 budget estimates also refer to 2 GIS Technician positions which were not funded. The position of Deputy Chief Surveyor was vacant as of the end of May 2023. The department also has 4 Surveyor positions as well as 3 Survey technicians. 21 2. Land Registry- Governed by the Land Registration Act, the Land Registry is responsible for managing all cadastral data. For their daily operations, the Registry focuses on managing and updating a parcel database built upon Advanced Revelation relational database software and running in the Microsoft DOS Operating System. Although the Survey and Mapping Section and Land Registry update the geometry and Attributes of the Cadastre, a seamless workflow for keeping these in sync does not currently exist. Information Technology Staff have also developed the Land Administration Information System (LAIS). This database was built upon PostgreSQL 9.6 and is updated by the Land Registry staff in parallel with the Advanced Revelation Database. 3. Physical Planning Section- Planning technicians use GIS software to produce basic overlays of development proposals on thematic layers to support the planning permitting process and forward planning. Paper-based maps are still commonly used, and full conversion of the cadastral map into a GIS format is not yet complete. GIS technologies including GNSS field data collection, drone mapping, and GPS surveying have not been integrated into the processes of the survey and mapping section. Although the discussion has been held for many years about making land information available to the public through a paid online portal, no specific timeline has been set for implementing this. However, under the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP), an expression of interest for developing requirements for an electronic land registry was published in May 2023. The National Integrated Planning and Program Unit which sits within the Department of Finance has led strategies to promote evidence-based infrastructure planning in Saint Lucia. This approach is underpinned by the need for Geospatial data and analysis. Assessments of building infrastructure and exposure analysis have been coordinated through this unit. Two technical staff members both completed the Open-Source GIS training programme in 2021. To gain a better understanding of GIS capacity in GOSL, the assessment of the current GIS users in each agency should be conducted to assess them against a competency framework such as the Geospatial Technology Competency Model. However, this was not done for this assessment. SPATIAL DATA EDUCATION Opensource GIS Training (2021) This training was delivered by Kartoza and was divided into two segments, GIS Fundamentals and Advanced GIS Training. 23 persons completed the fundamental training and 8 completed the advanced training. The main agencies that participated were 1) Physical Planning 2) Saint Lucia Fire Service 3) Royal St. Lucia Police Force 4) Central Statistics Office 5) Ministry of Health 6) Forestry Division. Number of persons completing Kartoza GIS fundamentals by agency (2021) 22 Agency Number of Graduates (GIS Fundamentals) Central Statistical Office (CSO) 2 Department of Infrastructure 1 Forestry Division 3 National Integrated Programme and Planning Unit 2 Royal Saint Lucia Police Force 4 Saint Lucia Fire Service 1 Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority 1 Department of Physical Development and Urban 1 Renewal Ministry of Health 3 NEMO 2 IRD 1 Department of Equity 1 Department of Agriculture 1 Number of persons completing the Kartoza Advanced GIS course by Agency: Agency # of Graduates Saint Lucia Fire Service 1 Department of Health 1 Central Statistics Office 2 Department of Agriculture 1 Physical Development and Urban 1 Renewal Royal Saint Lucia Police Force 2 Kartoza supported agencies with the preparation of specific GIS workflows. For example, a workflow for the use of the QGIS COGO18 tool for inputting and managing survey plans within a PostGIS database was provided to DPDUR. Several agencies were introduced to Mergin Maps19 as a field mapping solution. The firm deployed its Opensource GIS Stack20 to a server at DPDUR. The instance is accessible at geoservices.govt.lc. 18 https://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/parcel_plugin/ 19 https://merginmaps.com/ 20 https://github.com/kartoza/osgs 23 Training in Drone Mapping An increasing number of government agencies are building capacity in the use of drones for spatial data collection. NEMO and the SLFS received introductory training in drone mapping using Pix4D in 2021, through the DVRP from the company that supplied the drones to the GoSL but neither agency does any mapping. Both agencies have indicated that drones have been used mainly for capturing photos and videos for damage assessments. The Ministry of Agriculture established a Drone Team after receiving training in drone operation and Drone Deploy. This training programme was funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which also procured 4 drones (DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2) for the agency. Since completing this training in August 2022 the Drone Team have reported that they have completed several mapping projects of up to 800 hectares. They process their data using a Drone Deploy enterprise account. This account expires in June 2023 and the department does not have a budgetary allocation to renew Sir Arthur Lewis Community College Introduction to GIS course The SALCC started offering a Semester 1 GIS course in 2021 as a part of the Environmental Studies degree programme. The course provides basic GIS theory and practical content using QGIS as the primary software tool. A total of 14 students have successfully completed the course. 24 INDIVIDUAL GIS LEADERSHIP GIS Stakeholders A list of Key stakeholders involved in Saint Lucia’s GIS can be found below: Name Agency Title Sean Mathurin CSO Director of Statistics Sherma Small CSO Mapping Supervisor Ulanda Antoine Department of Civil Engineer (Supervisor of GIS) Infrastructure Andy Charles DPDUR Planning Technician Chaz Popo DPDUR Survey Technician David Alphonse DPDUR GIS Officer Hildreth Lewis DPDUR Permanent Secretary Karen Augustin DPDUR Chief Planner Marcathian Alexander DPDUR IT Officer Ronald Polius DPDUR Chief Surveyor Shannon Evans DPDUR GIS Officer Suzanna Aurelien DPDUR Geographic information Officer Werner Houson DPDUR Physical Planning Officer Anthony Coward Employed GIS Professional Overseas Jonathan Baptiste Employed GIS Professional Overseas Justin Roosevelt Sealy Employed Strategic Programme Coordinator Overseas for Solid Waste Neave Constantine Employed Corridor Management Planner Overseas Eulampius Frederick Equity Kechan St. Clair GIS Unit DIPE GIS Technician Martin Elliot GIS Unit DIPE GIS Technician Phillip Hippolyte HOT/Private Consultant/ Land Surveyor Sector Curby Daniel LEAH Ltd. Land Surveyor Alanna Francois-George* LUCELEC GIS Supervisor Darton Charles LUCELEC GIS Officer Jim Joseph MAP & IT Solutions Director- GIS Developer/Consultant Joel Ramine MOA GIS Officer Odetta James MOA Forest Officer (GIS) Rebecca Rock MOA Assistant Chief Forest Officer Fabian Felix NIPP Civil Engineer Gemma Edwin NIPP Economist Howard Wells NIPP Director NIPP Trevor Terry Andrew Alfred OneGlobalSys Director 25 Xan Fontenelle Property Tax GIS Technician Dana Murray SALCC Student- SALCC BA Environmental Studies Kernya Charles SALCC Student- SALCC BA Environmental Studies Ron Andrew SALCC Student- SALCC BA Environmental Studies Andrina Abraham Self Employed Consultant Cornelius Edmund Self Employed Planning Manager LUCELEC (Retired) Krishnan Alexander SLFS Leading Fire Fighter - GIS De Andre Albert St Lucia Social Research Officer Development Fund Hemish Joseph WASCO GIS Manager Shairba Charles WASCO Surveyor Christopher Williams World Bank Group Technical Coordinator Comp. 2 DVRP Luther Tyson WRMA Information Systems Manager Mervin Engeliste WRMA Water Resources Officer - GIS 26 Data This section entails an evaluation of the current state of data quality and availability in Saint Lucia, particularly for geospatial data. Several Assessments of Geospatial data availability have been conducted in the past. Poor data management challenges such as, lack of data standardisation, lack of metadata and the lack of data catalogues make data difficult to access. Additionally, the absence of proper data- sharing policies compounds the issue of data access. Most agencies still store data in shapefile format, hence limiting multi-user editing, among other disadvantages. Geoservices.govt.lc is currently the main local spatial data-sharing platform. The platform currently hosts the 2009 orthophoto WMS, Saint Lucia Digital Elevation Model WMS and Saint Lucia Topographic Map WMS. Users can also connect to a spatial database containing Saint Lucia datasets which were previously hosted on Saint Lucia Integrated National Geonode (SLING). This portal was a Geonode set up in 2012 with support by the World Bank. Credentials to connect to this database are available upon request. Many of these datasets are more easily accessible via the GeoCRIS platform hosted by the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). GeoCRIS is a subset of the Caribbean Risk Information System (CRIS). The data on GeoCRIS can be accessed without signing up for an account and without making any specific request for data. Department of Infrastructure Ports and Transport (DIPT) The DIPT, with support from SirWay Ltd worked on the implementation of a Road Asset Management System (RAMS) from 2018-2022. Data collected included: • Road centerlines • International roughness index of the road network • Drone collected orthophotos in selected areas • 360-degree street-view images • Traffic volume data This data is stored on the RAMS system server at the DIPT and street view data was uploaded to the Mapillary platform. Since the project has ended, the DIPT remains responsible for maintaining the system and the data within it. The primary dataset that is continuously updated is the traffic volume data. Department of Physical Development and Urban Renewal (DPDUR) DPDUR currently has 2022 orthophotos at 10cm resolution and they expect to receive the final version of the LiDAR topographic data by the end of June 2023. In April 2023, the imagery was shared as a Web 27 Map Service on the GeoServices portal which also hosts the 2009 orthophotos. This agency hosts many other thematic layers listed in the table below. Additionally the DPDUR is the custodian of the cadastral dataset of Saint Lucia which is stored in CAD format as well as shapefiles. This land parcel information, however, is not integrated with the attribute data held by the Land Registry, also within the DPDUR. The DPDUR is considering integrating the two datasets through their existing Land Administration Information System. Additionally, the CARTP is seeking to develop an E-Land Registry System for Saint Lucia. The Central Statistical Office (CSO) CSO has already shared most of its public data in 2016 which includes; administrative boundaries of Districts and Settlements, and the mapping of amenities to the GeoCRIS portal. However, to receive any subsequent versions of these datasets a data request should be made to the CSO. Saint Lucia Fire Service Following the OpenSource GIS training, the Saint Lucia Fire Service embarked upon a comprehensive mapping exercise to capture geographic coordinates and geotagged photos of existing fire hydrants. This data is shared by the fire service upon request as it is not currently hosted on any spatial data portal. Department of Agriculture Since acquiring skills and equipment for drone mapping, the department has acquired imagery, particularly in rural areas of Saint Lucia. In special cases the department has assisted other agencies upon request but this is done with the understanding that the requesting agency would be responsible for the cost of drone replacement or repairs for accidents that occurred during the conduct of the said assignment. The department processes imagery using Drone Deploy. The imagery ranges in resolution between 2cm – 10cm. These orthophotos require significant storage space. Additionally, an efficient system for sharing imagery with other agencies has not been established. Imagery is shared upon request by individuals or agencies. 28 The table below provides an overview of the key datasets managed by various agencies. Existing Datasets in Saint Lucia: Dataset Data geometry Description CRS Source/Owner Year of Accessibility type Creation/Upda te Bridges_an Vector polygon captured EPSG:2006 - St. Dept. of Physical 2009 upon d_Tunnels from 2009 Lucia 1955 / Development request, Aerial survey British West also Indies Grid available on CDEMA GeoCRIS/ Buildings Vector polygon captured EPSG:2006 - St. Dept. of Physical 2009 upon from 2009 Lucia 1955 / Development request, Aerial survey British West also Indies Grid available on CDEMA GeoCRIS Contours Vector polyline captured EPSG:2006 - St. Dept. of Physical 2009 upon from 2009 Lucia 1955 / Development request, Aerial survey British West also Indies Grid available on CDEMA GeoCRIS Path_Secti Vector polyline captured EPSG:2006 - St. Dept. of Physical 2009 upon ons from 2009 Lucia 1955 / Development request, Aerial survey British West also Indies Grid available on CDEMA GeoCRIS Retaining_ Vector polyline captured EPSG:2006 - St. Dept. of Physical 2009 upon Walls from 2009 Lucia 1955 / Development request, Aerial survey also 29 British West available on Indies Grid CDEMA GeoCRIS River_Secti Vector polyline captured EPSG:2006 - St. Dept. of Physical 2009 upon ons from 2009 Lucia 1955 / Development request, Aerial survey British West also Indies Grid available on CDEMA GeoCRIS Road_Secti Vector polyline captured EPSG:2006 - St. Dept. of Physical 2009 upon ons from 2009 Lucia 1955 / Development request, Aerial survey British West also Indies Grid available on CDEMA GeoCRIS population Vector polygon Digitized OGC:CRS84 - Central Statistical 2016 upon _settlemen settlement WGS 84 Office request, ts data with also demographi available on c attributes CDEMA GeoCRIS Quarters Vector polygon Saint Lucia's EPSG:2006 - St. Central Statistical 2016 available on Administrati Lucia 1955 / Office CDEMA ve districts British West GeoCRIS with Indies Grid population data airports_1 Vector polygon Airport OGC:CRS84 - CHARIM 2016 available on locations in WGS 84 project/GeoCRIS CDEMA Saint Lucia GeoCRIS Geology Vector polygon Surface OGC:CRS84 - CHARIM 2016 available on Geology of WGS 84 project/GeoCRIS CDEMA Saint Lucia, (CRS84) GeoCRIS digitized by 30 maps developed through an OAS St. Lucia Developmen t Atlas (1987), originally developed by Newman (1965) Landcover Raster British EPSG:4326 - CHARIM 2015 available on Geological WGS 84 project/GeoCRIS CDEMA Survey, GeoCRIS based on Image classification flood Raster raster flash flood EPSG:4326 - CHARIM 2016 available on hazard susceptibilit WGS 84 project/GeoCRIS CDEMA map y of Saint GeoCRIS Lucia was generated by V.G. Jetten (ITC) using the event-based flood modelling tool OpenLISEM landslide raster raster This raster EPSG:4326 - CHARIM 2016 available on susceptibili illustrates WGS 84 project/GeoCRIS CDEMA ty the GeoCRIS 31 Landslide susceptibilit y map (National Scale) of Saint Lucia, generated by C.J. van Westen (ITC- University of Twente) Soil vector polygon The soil map WGS 84 CHARIM unknown available on originates (CRS84) project/GeoCRIS (source data CDEMA from 1966 created in GeoCRIS soil map 1966) made by UWI Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture health vector Point Health WGS 84 CHARIM 2016 available on centres Center (CRS84) project/GeoCRIS CDEMA locations GeoCRIS and names in Saint Lucia Pharmacie vector point Pharmacy WGS 84 CHARIM 2016 available on s locations (CRS84) project/GeoCRIS CDEMA and names GeoCRIS police vector point Police WGS 84 CHARIM 2016 available on stations station (CRS84) project/GeoCRIS CDEMA locations GeoCRIS and Names 32 Schools vector point School WGS 84 CHARIM 2016 available on location and (CRS84) project/GeoCRIS CDEMA Names GeoCRIS 25cm raster raster (RGB) EPSG:2006 - St. Dept. of Physical 2009 upon orthophot Orthophotos Lucia 1955 / Development request. os of saint lucia British West Indies Grid 12.5 cm raster raster RGB EPSG:2006 - St. Dept. of Physical 2009 WMS on orthophot Orthophotos Lucia 1955 / Development geoservices os of urban British West areas of Indies Grid Saint Lucia Satellite raster raster 50 cm EPSG:32620 - Dept. of Physical 2014 upon imagery of WGS 84 / UTM Development request Saint Lucia zone 20N (RGB and False Colour Infrared) DEM Raster EPSG 2006 Dept. of Physical 2009 Development 2022 Raster 10 cm ESPG 32620 DPDUR 2022 Upon Orthophot RGB/CIR request o Drone Raster 2-10cm ESPG 32620 MOA 2022-2023 Upon maps of request various areas LIDAR DSM Raster Lidar based EPSG 32620, DPDUR 2023 Upon Interpolated EPSG 2006, request Topographic SL2014 Digital Surface Model of Saint Lucia 33 at 0.5m and 10m resolutions LIDAR DTM Raster Lidar based EPSG 32620, DPDUR 2023 Upon Hydro EPSG 2006, request flattened SL2014 Digital Terrain Model of Saint Lucia at 0.5m and 10m resolutions LIDAR Raster Topographic EPSG 32620, DPDUR 2023 Upon Hillshade Hillshade EPSG 2006, request image 0.5m SL2014 Lidar CHM LIDAR EPSG 32620, DPDUR 2023 Upon derived EPSG 2006, request Canopy SL2014 height Model, 1m grid LIDAR Raster LIDAR EPSG 32620, DPDUR 2023 Upon Intensity/R reflectivity/i EPSG 2006, request eflectivity ntensity, 1m SL2014 grid LIDAR Raster LIDAR EPSG 32620, DPDUR 2023 Upon sDTM Seamless EPSG 2006, request Topographic SL2014 -bathymetric Terrain and Seabed Model (1m grid) 34 LIDAR Raster LIDAR EPSG 32620, DPDUR 2023 Upon sDTM Seamless EPSG 2006, request hillshade Topographic SL2014 -bathymetric Terrain and Seabed Model Hillshade (1m grid) Classified LAS/LAZ Topographic EPSG 32620, DPDUR 2023 Upon Lidar Point and EPSG 2006, request Cloud Bathymetric SL2014 Lidar point cloud from airborne lidar survey Building Vector Polygon Building EPSG 32620, DPDUR 2023 Upon footprint footrpints EPSG 2006, request derived SL2014 from Lidar/Photo grammetry acquired between 2020 and 2022 35 Metadata Availability Metadata availability and data standards are two severely deficient areas of dataset management in Saint Lucia. The NSDI Spatial Data and Metadata Standards report recommends the following schema where items are either (M) Mandatory, O (Optional) or C (Conditional). The proposed Schema is based primarily on ISO19115:2014 - Geographic Information. Proposed Metadata Schema for Saint Lucia (Kadaster International, 2023) Package Elements Comments Metadata scope M Default: dataset (but can also be a dataset series, a information service, document …) date M Last time the metadata were updated contact M Consists of at least the name of an organization and an e-mail address (but can contain more sub- elements), responsible for the metadata. Because the contact information for the dataset itself is mandatory, it is not for the metadata (which is often the same as for the dataset) language M eng character set C Default it is assumed to be UTF-8 Identification citation (title) M A short reference consisting of a few words information abstract M A short description of the content of the dataset or other resource pointOfContact M Consists of at least the name of an organization and an e-mail address (but can contain more sub- elements), responsible for the data spatialRepresentationT M Mostly this will be grid or vector ype spatialResolution M This is the scale denominator for vector data and a resolution for gridded data topicCategory M 21 categories are being described in a code list, usually available within a metadata editing tool (e.g. in ArcGIS). Example topics are: boundaries, transportation, disaster, … extent M This concerns the temporal and geographic extent, both are further sub-divided in 2 sub-elements each language O eng character set O Default it is assumed to be UTF-8 36 Constraint accessConstraints C These are legal constraints21 applied to assure the information protection of privacy or intellectual property, and any special restrictions or limitations on obtaining the resource or metadata. Only applicable if there are constraints This element is sub-divided in 3 sub-elements useConstraints C These are legal constraints to assure the protection of privacy or intellectual property, and any special restrictions or limitations or warnings on using the resource or metadata. Only applicable if there are constraints Lineage statement M General description of the data producer’s information knowledge about the lineage (history) of a resource source O Information about the source data (can be more than one dataset) used to create/generate the documented resource. Best to use the citation (title) of the resource that is hopefully also documented. processStep O Information about the events in the life-cycle of the documented resource (processing of one or more other datasets such as aggregation, selection, overlay … Reference referenceSystemIdentif M Identifier for the CRS used (from a list identifiers) system ier 2006 = St. Lucia 1955 / British West Indies Grid information 32620 = UTM zone 20N 4326 = WGS84 Distribution distributionFormat M Including the format version, e.g., GML 3.0 information transferOptions M Online access (URL for download) or offline (URL for getting information) distributorContact M Usually this is the same organization as the one that is creating and maintaining the data 21 Legal is seen very broad: having a specific data policy within an organization can also lead to access and/or use constraints. 37 Data Standards Standards can serve as a tool to ensure interoperability and usability of geospatial datasets by various stakeholders (World Bank City Planning Labs Initiative, 2021). The UN-GGIM defines its standards to be ‘a documented agreement between providers and consumers, established by consensus that provides rules guidelines or characteristics ensuring that materials products and services are fit for purpose’. Data Format The NSDI Implementation support consultants from Kadaster/KU Leuven recommend the transition from storing multiple copies of individual files such as shapefiles to using centralised spatial databases, deployment of more WMS layers and transitioning to API-focused approaches. These technical standards are intended to allow greater interoperability between systems and collaboration between users. The report also highlights the need for feature catalogues and application schemas. Although content standards were discussed and reference was made to data models that exist within INSPIRE these structures were not defined for Saint Lucia. Coordinate Reference System (CRS) The NSDI Spatial Data and Metadata Standards report mentions the 3 coordinate reference systems available for use which are: 1. St. Lucia 1955/ British West Indies Grid (ESPG 2006) 2. WGS84 UTM20N (EPSG 32620) 3. Geographic Coordinate System WGS 1984 (ESPG 4326) The report also refers to the new 2014 datum based on ITRF epoch 2014.5 and the Guass-Krüger projection, that was developed with assistance from the World Bank under Hurricane Tomas Recovery Project Saint Lucia. One of the motivations for the development of this system is the transition to wider use of GNSS equipment for mapping and the low accuracy of available transformations between WGS84 and BWI 1955. Kadaster’s Spatial Data and Metadata standards report recommends that St. Lucia TM 2014 should be implemented as the main CRS moving forward. 38 Systems Web connectivity and Telecommunication Infrastructure Telecommunications Providers Saint Lucia currently has two main internet service providers, Digicel and FLOW. Both companies provide broadband internet and dedicated internet access connections for commercial and institutional users. Flow broadband is available to residential and commercial customers in all districts of Saint Lucia while Digicel is currently gradually rolling out its services in the north of the island. Mobile internet is available in most populated areas of the island with both providers currently offering 4G LTE internet. Government Wide Area Network The Government of Saint Lucia benefitted from a World Bank Funded initiative Caribbean Communications Infrastructure Programme (CARCIP) P114963 which was implemented in Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. This programme included many initiatives that improved the government’s network connectivity as well as public access to the internet. The project funded a fiber optic network connecting most government facilities in Saint Lucia via a wide area network improving network access within the government intranet. With respect to public access, several ICT access centres were also established in communities in addition to the establishment of wireless access points in selected public spaces such as parks. Availability of geospatial software and hardware Saint Lucia’s GIS community has traditionally used ESRI products as their primary GIS software for many years. However, many factors including cost and improvements in the accessibility and capability of Opensource GIS have led to an increase in use of QGIS. Outside of GIS, a great deal of map data including the cadastral dataset is generally maintained in a CAD environment, with AutoCAD being the most widely used software package. Hardware and Software used for GIS by Agencies: Agency Mobile Desktop Server-Based Spatial Other Typical hardware Data Software Software Database Relevant used Collection Used Used Applications Software Used DPDUR- GIS none QGIS OSGeoStack PostGIS AutoCAD DVRP Desktop x Unit 14 + Server 39 DPDUR – none ArcGIS n/a n/a AutoCAD Physical Desktop and Planning QGIS Section Agriculture Mergin QGIS n/a n/a Drone Deploy (engineering) maps Forestry Handheld QGIS, ArcGIS none Drone Deploy 1 x DVRP desktop GPS Units 9.3 (i9) Planning to use SMART, 1 x 15 yr old with BlackView Desktop PC Android devices Department QGIS PosGRES (for 1 x DVRP Desktop of RAMS) 1 Server for RAMS Infrastructure , Ports and Transport LUCELEC ESRI Field ArcGIS Portal for Enterprise AutoCAD Lite Maps, Desktop ArcGIS Microsoft Trimble standalone x 2 SQL? Terrasync Floating network licenses x 2, ArcGIS Pro WASCO ArcGIS Saint Lucia Windows QGIS none Beginning 1 x DVRP Desktop Fire Service Tablet to work with Postgres SQL Royal St. QGIS Lucia Police Force CSO Survey Arcgis None as yet Cloud SPSS, Excel 2 x DVRP Desktop Solutions, Desktop10.8.2 except Survey Storage 2 x Core i5 8gb Solutions available ram server from GITS WRMA QGIS None None HEC-HMS, 1 x DVRP Desktop ArcGIS HEC-RAS Ministry of QGIS 1 x DVRP Desktop Health Inland ArcPad QGIS None None 1 x DVRP Desktop Revenue - ArcGIS Property Tax 40 In summary, 50% of government GIS users use QGIS as the main tool for interacting with geospatial data, this is particularly so as they do not have funding to purchase and to maintain ESRI licenses. Exposure to training in QGIS also contributed to the increase in its popularity. Field Data collection is conducted using a variety of applications, however, a large proportion of agencies still use paper forms for data collection. Despite many agencies having expressed interest in setting up spatial databases on centralised servers, this has not been implemented in most agencies, outside of DPDUR, the Hydromet Portal based on DEWETRA and DELFT FEWS contains a PostGIS database and Geoserver instance within its software stack. Drones are becoming more widely used for mapping but not all agencies have access to the equipment, software or training. The Ministry of Agriculture drone team has 4 DJI Phantom 4 V2 drones which it uses for mapping, the data collected is processed through Drone Deploy. NEMO and SLFS each own a DJI M300 unfortunately the full potential of these equipment are not being explored since they are used primarily for capturing regular photos and videos for damage and needs assessments. Access to Web Mapping Establishment and operationalization of geoportals Previous Geoportals Name Custodian Background Description St. Lucia Open Department of This portal contained both Although several Data Portal Public Service geospatial and non-spatial datasets datasets were posted Modernisation for Saint Lucia. It was developed 4 at launch there were (DPSM) years after the completion of an little to no updates to ODRA and was supported by UK the datasets uploaded DFID funds. The portal went offline and no new data was in 2021 due to the lack of funding to uploaded. cover cloud hosting fees. St. Lucia Department of SLING was launched in 2012 with Only a few datasets Integrated Physical support from the World Bank were added or National Development and OpenDRI project. SLING was a updated post-launch Geonode Urban Renewal Geonode instance hosting several SLING geospatial data layers. EXISTING PORTALS Name Custodian Background Description National Department This portal was established to provide The portal requires Environmental of users with access to data and indicators credentials to access related to Multilateral Environmental the data. There is no 41 Information System Sustainable Agreements that Saint Lucia is a automated way of NEIS Development signatory to. creating an account to access the data, meaning that the department must always be contacted to request credentials Geoservices.govt.lc Department This is essentially a replacement for Few datasets were of Physical SLING. It was deployed by Kartoza as a added or updated Development portal to be used to support the post-launch. and Urban training program that they delivered in Government agencies Renewal 2021. The portal has WMS layers of will be provided with aerial imagery as well as vector layers credentials to allow within a spatial database. Although a them to upload their lot of data is stored on the server the data to this platform. user interface does not make the data easily accessible. Under the NSDI Implementation Support Contract, several enhancements will be made to this portal to make it more functional and accessible Portals under development: Name Custodian Background Description Saint Lucia Saint Lucia Under the DVRP, technical assistance The system is currently Hydromet Meteorologic was received by Saint Lucia for the under development and Portal al Services development of a roadmap for the will utilise DeWetra as the improvement of HydroMet services in front end and DELFT FEWS Saint Lucia. One of the areas identified as the back end. The was the establishment of a portal for system is under Hydromet data management and development and is dissemination. expected to be online by June, 2023. OWN DEVELOPMENT / OPEN SOURCE Most of the geoportals have been developed using OpenSource GIS components. The implementation of these portals has involved the configuration of common open-source components including Geoserver and PostGIS. The NSDI consultants recommend that future portals (and current ones) be configured to avoid data duplication and transition towards having multiple portals utilising the same centrally stored datasets. 42 Another notable in-house development is the Land Administration Information System (LAIS) which is used by the Land Registry staff of the DPDUR. Although the database does not currently have significant geospatial capabilities, the cadastral information that it stores is inherently geospatial and the IT staff intend to incorporate additional geospatial capabilities into it. 43 Conclusions Institutional Arrangements • There is a high potential for the formalization of SDI institutional arrangements. The approval of the NGCC and NGTC by the Cabinet would be a good initial step in that regard. The adoption of the NSDI policy, once it has been finalised, will also aid in elevating the importance of GIS in Saint Lucia. • Although a GIS unit is in place at DPDUR, A small unit dedicated to NSDI implementation would still be required to support the establishment of a formal NSDI. • NSDI is not a national priority but can gain traction if linked with a national priority such as the development of the Youth Economy and the Tourism Industry. People • There are several skilled GIS persons in Saint Lucia. However, for sustainability and to allow GIS users to stay abreast with emerging technology more training opportunities should be made available. The GoSL could aid in this by adding GIS and geospatial-related careers to the GoSL educational priority list. More opportunities for upward mobility in the public and private sectors need to be provided to incentivize persons to continue to work with geospatial technology and to expand their knowledge and skills in this field. The NGCC and the NGTC need to continually build awareness and to promote geospatial-related careers as being a good alternative to other traditional careers such as law, engineering and medicine. Data • Many datasets exist but these are not well managed. • Most datasets lack proper metadata. An ISO 19115-based metadata standard has been proposed but this will require official adoption as well as buy-in from geospatial technologies for it to be implemented. • A major technical challenge faced in Saint Lucia is that transformations between WGS84 and the national datum (BWI 1955) are inaccurate making the use of GPS for geodetic surveying more challenging. Adopting the modern coordinate system which was developed in 2014 would resolve this issue but this adoption is not likely in the near future due to the lack of official endorsement of it. • The NGCC and the NGTC need to continually build awareness to obtain the buy-in required for the official adoption of the dataset management standards, metadata standards and a modern Coordinate Reference System. 44 Systems • Data portals tend to go offline after the source of funds that established them is no longer in place. There is a need for the Government to invest in the maintenance of at least a major spatial data portal in order to facilitate data sharing. • Data portals have tended to have static data with no updates following their launches. The integration of these portals and their data into the work programmes of the data producers is required in order to begin to address this problem. • Open-Source GIS software's popularity has grown as a result of more staff members being exposed to training, the improvements to Open-Source software functionality and accessibility, and the lack of budgetary allocations to purchase commercial licenses. • Interest in Saint Lucia’s Spatial data infrastructure has increased as a result of recent investments and technical assistance. However, the Government can integrate spatial data infrastructure into its national priorities by adopting the NSDI Policy. The use cases featured during the Geography Week of November 2022 show that the NSDI implementation could strengthen the efficiency of the work processes within the various agencies. Kadaster/KU Leuven has produced several reports which provide standards and guidelines for establishing an NSDI. The actual implementation of these recommendations will require the active support of the NGCC and the NGTC as they continually develop strategies to maintain the support of the decision-makers. 45 Bibliography Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (2019). Business Analysis Approach Support for the Development of an NSDI in Saint Lucia. Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (2019). Final Report, Support for the DEvelopment of an NSDI in Saint Lucia. Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (2019). Legal Review, Support for the Development of an NSDI in St. Lucia. Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (2019). NSDI Legal Change Plan, Support for the Development of an NSDI in St Lucia. Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (2019). Support for the Development of an NSDI in St. Lucia: Business Analysis Approach . Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (2022). Governance Review and Capacity Building Report, Support of the Implementation of the NSDI. Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (2022). Technological Infrastructure Design and Implemenation Report. Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (2023). NSDI Implementation Support FInal Report (Saint Lucia). Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (2023). NSDI Interface dEvelopment Report (Saint Lucia). Kadaster International, KU Leuven. (n.d.). Draft NSDI Policy for Saint Lucia. Kadaster, KU Leuven. (2019). Change Strategy for the Development of the NSDI in Saint Lucia. Sirvio, K. M., & Philogene-Mckie, R. (2019). Implementation of Road Assest Management System in St. Lucia. 26th World Road Congress. Abu Dhabi,UAE. UN Expert Group on the Integration of Statistical and Geospatial Information. (2018). Global Statistical Geospatial Framework: Linking Statistics and Place. United Nations. World Bank City Planning Labs Initiative. (2021). [Manual] CPL Municipal Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) Manual. World Bank. 46