The site will allow people to see Bermuda from the air and to interact with map data.
“People in Bermuda might not realise it, but they are most probably using GIS (also called Digital Geography) already,” said Designate Director of E-Government David Astwood in a press release on the launch.
The launch of the new site was timed to coincide with GIS Day on Wednesday – an international event to promote the importance and usage of GIS around the world.
GIS’ usefulness lies in its flexibility, said Senior Land Surveyor at the Ministry of Works and Engineering Peter Hopkin.
“It is possible to customise your own personal map, leave out the elements you are not interested in, change the scale at will and plot your own map if you need it,” he said.
Bermuda Maps can be found at www.bermudamaps.bm but Government is also encouraging the public to visit the main Government portal at www.gov.bm to see the many other ways in which GIS is being utilised.
Among the current uses for the technology are mapping of incidences of mosquito breeding (Department of Environmental Health), helping to assess land tax (Department of Land Valuation), arranging and recording Planning applications (Department of Planning), collecting and recording information on Bermuda’s plants and animals (Department of Conservation Services Biodiversity Project) as well as its use for Emergency Services call outs and responses.
Government schools are also this week having their computer networks connected to the same GIS technology used within Government.
“The use of GIS in Bermuda addresses two key objectives of my Ministry,” said Minister of Environment, Telecommunications and E-Commerce Neletha Butterfield.
Quelle/Source: The Royal Gazette, 17.11.2006
