The Tribune

By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas has re-established its presence in the international surveying arena and secured new educational, professional and technological partnerships following a delegation’s participation in the 2026 Congress of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) in Cape Town, South Africa, according to the Bahamas Association of Land Surveyors (BALS).

Speaking during a press briefing, BALS President Rodrick Wood said the delegation’s achievements will help strengthen the country’s surveying profession, expand opportunities for young Bahamians and support modernisation efforts within the nation’s land management systems.

“Just days ago, a small but determined team of Bahamian ambassadors, our delegation [went] to the FIG Congress 2026 delegation event in Cape Town, South Africa,” Mr Wood said. “But they returned home with achievements that will resonate for generations.”

Among the major outcomes was the admission of the Bahamas Institute of STEM Innovation (BIOSI) as an academic member of FIG, making it the first Bahamian nonprofit organisation to receive the designation.

According to Mr Wood, the membership will provide Bahamian students, faculty and researchers with direct access to international scholarships, professional networks and research opportunities.

The delegation also announced the creation of the Bahamas Young Surveyors Network, an initiative aimed at addressing workforce development challenges within the profession. Two students from BIOSI and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute have been appointed co-chairs of the new organisation.

Mr Wood said the network will play a central role in recruiting and training future surveyors.

“This is a direct investment in our youth and in the future of what I call the pipeline of recruiting surveyors, young surveyors to keep the profession going in The Bahamas,” he said.

The move comes as industry stakeholders continue to raise concerns about the shortage of work to build local capacity.

BALS also used the conference to pursue international partnerships. Mr Wood said the delegation initiated discussions on a proposed agreement with the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) that could create pathways for international accreditation, student exchanges and jointly branded training programmes.

The Bahamian delegation additionally toured South Africa’s Surveyor General’s Office, where members observed a fully digitized land registry system and advanced GNSS reference network technology.

Mr Wood said such systems represent the type of modernisation that The Bahamas hopes to replicate in the future.

Delegates also met with university representatives, government officials and technology providers who expressed interest in collaborating with The Bahamas on geospatial and surveying initiatives.

Mr Wood emphasised that the trip was funded entirely through industry support.

“Let me be absolutely clear that all travel expenses, accommodation, registration, related expenses for our team or our delegation was fully covered by the Bahamas Association of Land Surveyors and our BIOSI partners,” he said. “No students bore any personal costs.

Looking ahead, BALS is preparing to host Geospatial Week 2026 in Nassau from October 11-17. The event is expected to attract international participants and feature discussions on drone technology, artificial intelligence-driven land registries, hydrography and sustainable housing development.

Mr Wood also unveiled a five-year youth recruitment strategy aimed at attracting more than 50 young Bahamians into surveying through school clubs, internships, scholarships and summer drone training camps.

Student ambassador and newly appointed Young Surveyors Network co-chair Don Kemp said the organisation is already planning outreach initiatives, including a “Map Your Community” programme that will begin in Grand Bahama before expanding throughout the Family Islands.

“I’m already planning a Map Your Community workshop using open source GIS tools,” Mr Kemp said. “Together we can and will fix our land system in The Bahamas.”

Mr Kemp said applications for the network will soon be available through BIOSI’s website and social media platforms, with a particular focus on engaging younger Bahamians who may be intimidated by mathematics.

“That’s one of the challenges,” he said. “We have thought of some very creative ways to get young folks very excited about math.”

BALS Secretary Thomas Ferguson said international delegates were enthusiastic about the progress made by The Bahamas and have already expressed interest in attending Geospatial Week later this year.

“We have gotten excellent support from the South Africans and the other countries that were there in South Africa,” Mr Ferguson said. “They’ve committed to come and see us for the Geospatial Week.”

He noted that the congress brought together more than 1,500 professionals representing approximately 120 countries, providing valuable exposure for The Bahamas.

“It was so good to see The Bahamas be restored after being the only one kicked out last year,” Mr Ferguson said, adding that international organisations are now eager to collaborate with local professionals and students.

The youth-focused message was echoed by Michael Finley, a University of The Bahamas architecture student interested in entering the surveying profession.

Mr Finley said he hopes to gain more field experience and encouraged other young Bahamians to consider joining the new network.

“Take a chance and be a part of it,” he said. “We have a very good team. You can learn some more skills to better yourself as an individual and better your community.”

For BALS, the developments mark what Mr Wood described as a turning point for the profession.

“The Bahamas is no longer invisible on the global surveying and geospatial map,” he said. “We are restored. We are united, and we are definitely moving forward.”