Empowering Guyana’s national mapping agency

• Guyana’s geodetic infrastructure (i.e. its eight site Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) and Network Operations Centre (NOC)) was in disrepair and had fallen out of use. This meant that inefficient and expensive traditional surveying methods were being relied upon.
• The CORS network needed recomputing and connecting to the International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS), specifically the Sistema de Referencia Geocéntrico para las Américas (SIRGAS) geocentric reference system. This makes the Guyana CORS network (and coordinates) directly compatible with others across the whole of South America.
• GLSC had gaps in knowledge of how to operate, maintain (including diagnosing faults) and expand the CORS network.
• User needs (i.e. engineers and surveyors) were not being met in previous use of the CORS network.
• GLSC needed a clear business plan regarding management of the CORS network.
• GLSC required all of these developments in order to progress towards achieving their long-term and Sustainable Development Goals - such as creating more efficient transport systems, secured land tenure, better government, improved economy and happier citizens.

OS restored and updated the NOC and 8-site CORS network using Trimble technology, making multiple updates and ensuring that user needs were met.

We made sure the CORS network was coordinated and connected to SIRGAS. We provided training to support GLSC’s knowledge of how to use, maintain and expand Guyana’s national geodetic positioning network.

We also produced a detailed business plan for the CORS network, as well as for the GLSC and identified stakeholders – with continual training and sustainability at the plans’ core. This included support with the planning and procurement of Trimble equipment needed for the sustainable operation of the CORS network.

• Restoring and updating the CORS network and training GLSC teams means that GLSC can now use, maintain and expand the CORS network efficiently, sustainably and more cost effectively
• GLSC are now in control of Guyana’s geospatial data infrastructure, helping them with key roles such as decision making – meaning they can inform the Guyana government.
• With the benefits of accurate location data provided by the CORS network to support better land administration, resource management and infrastructure planning, GLSC are now able to work towards achieving their long-term and Sustainable Development Goals.