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March 2001
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Jamaica to use IKONOS satellite imagery to update land records
DENVER, March 2, Space Imaging, the world's leader in providing Earth imagery and related services to commercial and government markets, announced today that through its reseller, Spatial Innovision (New Kingston, Jamaica), it has signed an agreement with the government of Jamaica to take 1-meter, high resolution satellite images of the entire country. The satellite imagery would be used by all of Jamaica's land-related and mapping agencies. The project, which is worth more than a million dollars, will be the first time an entire country has been commercially imaged with 1-meter satellite imagery.
According to the Jamaican government, the last color aerial images assembled for the entire 4,411 square mile island, which is slightly smaller than Connecticut, was in 1991. The last comprehensive maps were made 20 years ago. Now, by using current satellite imagery, government agencies will join together to assemble information for many applications such as urban and cadastral mapping, environment, transmission systems design, telecommunications, farming, housing, mining, real estate, public safety, emergency response and population/demographic assessment. The project includes the delivery of 1-meter resolution precision pan-sharpened as well as 4-meter multi-spectral imagery for the entire country.
Hon. Seymour Mullings, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Land and Environment, said, "Our government has been concerned for some time that the country lacked the necessary techniques capable of delivering such vital data in the required format and in a timely manner. We feel confident that the digital technologies of IKONOS can assist Jamaica to prepare our much-needed maps with a shorter turnaround time than the aerial mapping systems we've used in the past." The Cabinet of Jamaica gave its approval to the project in December 2000.
For Jacqueline daCosta, Director General in the Ministry of Land and Environment and Chairman of the Land Information Council of Jamaica, the project represents a major strategic success for both the Ministry and the Council. "This acquisition was only possible through the determined and collaborative efforts of member agencies of the council partnering together to share the value of the latest base mapping information in order to enhance their various business functions and operations," said daCosta.
"We are in an ideal position to help government agencies gain access to the digital Earth information market," said Brian Soliday, Space Imaging's vice-president of Global Products and Services. "The ability to acquire diverse geospatial content from a single source is invaluable. It's through early adopters, such as the Jamaican government that we will continue to grow the commercial remote sensing market."
About Space Imaging
Space Imaging is a supplier of visual information products services derived from space imagery and aerial photography. The company launched the world's first and only one-meter resolution, commercial Earth imaging satellite, IKONOS, on Sept. 24, 1999. Other products are produced from Indian Remote Sensing satellites, U.S. Landsat, Canada's RADARSAT and the European Space Agency's ERS satellites. Space Imaging also delivers aerial-derived imagery products collected by its own Digital Airborne Imaging System (DAIS-1(TM)).
Web site: http://www.spaceimaging.com
About Spatial Innovision
Spatial Innovision, a GIS solutions center, is an innovative visionary information solutions company dedicated to expanding the use of spatial sciences and technologies as a tool to spur national development throughout the Caribbean region. Spatial Innovision represents the best of the world's spatial innovators including ESRI GIS, Trimble Mapping and Survey Systems, ERDAS GeoImaging and Vidar Scanners. The company designs and develops spatial solutions to support businesses in all sectors of the economy. Spatial Innovision covers the entire Caribbean, and works in partnership with Fujitsu-ICL Caribbean (Trinidad) Ltd. to serve their customers throughout the region.
Web site: http://www.spatialvision.com.
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