Strategy 2000

This section covers:

Introduction:

This document comprises the vision statement and intentions of CASLE and identifies the major challenges that need to be addressed. Goals are identified and a work plan will be prepared. The overall responsibility for implementation rests with the Management Board, whose mandate emanates from the General Assembly which meets normally at 3-yearly intervals.

The strategy is derived from CASLE's aims and objectives, which are reproduced in the appendix. The regional structure – Africa, Asia, Atlantic, Europe and Pacific – provides a valuable mechanism for all constituent members to maker their contribution in achieving the goals.

The problems facing the developing world and the effect of globalisation, particularly the revolution in information and communication technology (ICT), have created new needs in Commonwealth countries; action in these areas is well in line with CASLE's aims. Additionally, promotion of this CASLE strategy is seen by us as signalling the contribution which surveyors in the Commonwealth can make to the solution of problems which potentially affect us all.

CASLE has always looked to the future of the profession, and chose sustainable development as the theme for the 1995 conference in Harare. In 1996 CASLE achieved accreditation as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to the UN Habitat conference in Istanbul, and became involved with other Commonwealth associations in cognate fields.

Participation in pre-Commonwealth Heads of Governments meetings (CHOGM) has also involved CASLE in debates on many of the issues that are of major significance for the future of people and the natural and built environments. Thus it is of great importance that CASLE should help member societies, and others currently not in membership , to take part in acting on issues relevant to the future of the profession of surveying and land economy.

Professor Alan Spedding
President of CASLE

“Where there is no vision, the people perish”
Proverbs 29, 18

The Vision

In its 31 years CASLE has achieved much for and within the profession it represents, and that important activity must continue. But the time has come for the profession to achieve much more: to take a broader view and focus its skills, techniques and knowledge to help in the search for answers to the environmental, social and economic problems which beset so many countries within the Commonwealth. CASLE envisages supporting and encouraging the profession in its efforts to this end.

1. The Major Challenges

1.1 The objectives of CASLE rightly refer to the development of the profession of surveying and land economy – standards, techniques, technology, and education for and throughout the surveyor's career. These objectives have been pursued and must still be matters of major concern and activity. There is however a broader objective which has not been given the priority that is called for today, i.e.

“Encouraging dialogue between its member societies and national governments on all matters of national policy on which the profession is competent to offer informed opinions and advice. ” [1]

A further aim is “to foster the development of research and technical information services”.

This encapsulates a significant responsibility of the profession to its constituent community.

1.2. When the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, gave the Commonwealth Lecture in March 2000 on maintaining the momentum in Africa, he referred to its suffering from multiple crises – ecological, economic, social and political[2]. All of these, with the notable exception of the last, are areas in which the profession has an enormous part to play in all developing countries of the Commonwealth; the profession needs to intensify its actions in a cohesive way.

1.3. In November 1999 the Commonwealth Consultative Group on Human Settlements (CCGHS) published a report [3] on implementing the Habitat Agenda. Eight priorities for action were identified. Based on these, the following issues are of particular relevance to CASLE.

  1. Legal security of tenure
  2. Shelter provision issues
  3. Improving the enabling framework
  4. Sustainable development goals
  5. Promotion of partnerships focused on
    • resources
    • relieving poverty
    • securing finance for sustainable development

    These are considered in more detail in the next section.

1.4. None of these issues can be pursued effectively without adequate standards for education in surveying and land economy, and the possession of professional competence. CASLE needs to help to formulate standards and encourage the use of distance learning, and ICT in delivery of courses as part of that process.

1.5. Other challenges relate to the way CASLE operates. The Constitution and Regulations will be kept under review to ensure that CASLE can work effectively to meet today's needs. Inter alia, the basis of membership and funding needs a new appraisal. In order to optimise the available expertise and resources to address the problems, ways will be sought to involve the profession in all Commonwealth countries .

2. THE STRATEGY

2.1 It is recognised that much work has been done by many NGOs and agencies already in response to these challenges. CASLE will seek to expand its collective knowledge by undertaking investigation and research projects, and collaborate to help disseminate that knowledge and assist in further progress.

2.1.1 LEGAL SECURITY OF TENURE . The title to land is dependent on accurate survey and mapping, and cadastre is an additional and important tool. Financial backing for any development, be it the smallest dwelling or the largest employment scheme, cannot be obtained if the lender has no reliable security. CASLE should pursue this aim of accurate land titling , working jointly with other relevant Commonwealth associations and liaising in particular with The International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) [4].

2.1.2 SHELTER PROVISION ISSUES. These are usually linked with the poverty question, but even at a minimal cost there remains the need to generate income to afford the shelter. Low-cost housing is not an answer in itself, and the need for employment opportunities is paramount; this brings into focus the economy of a country or region. The surveying profession through its expertise of appraisal for testing the financial viability of development combined with the input of construction cost knowledge (quantity surveying) has much to contribute. Collaboration with engineers, planners and architects (i.e. the other constituents of the informal group BEPIC – The Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth) will be maintained; likewise with CHEC (The Commonwealth Human Ecology Council).

2.1.3 IMPROVING THE ENABLING FRAMEWORK. A pre-requisite is a robust and sustainable financing system for housing and land development, especially for job creation. There must be a practical finance facility for lower income groups. Construction standards need defining in terms which are appropriate to the problems identified, making use of the work which has already been done in this field. The special needs of capital-poor communities must be addressed. CASLE should therefore set up task forces to identify the issues to which surveyors and land economists can contribute expertise and to define appropriate mechanisms to address them. Dialogue should be developed with relevant UN and other agencies, e.g.

When specific projects have been identified for promotion, approaches for funding will be made to the World Bank, DFID (Department for International Development) and other potential funding agencies.

2.1.4 MEETING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS. CASLE will assist in the action areas identified in ‘ Focus on the Habitat Agenda' 3 . In particular it will continue research into systems of good practice, including land management, complementarities between rural and urban development, disaster preparedness and co-operation in the implementation of local Habitat agendas.

2.1.5 PARTNERSHIPS. The expertise of the profession in advising major investors provides a key to the creation of partnerships. The particular objective of housing and job-creation can only be achieved if there are determined and informed catalysts. This is where the dialogue between the profession and national governments is vital. CASLE should aim high, i.e. to those in high office, to ensure that every opportunity is pursued for the private and public sectors to work together . The Commonwealth Foundation (the inter-governmental organisation) promotes and strengthens NGO [5] co-operation and capacity-building, and is supportive of this type of positive action. [6]

OTHER ISSUES

2.2.1 EDUCATION AND TRAINING Much has been achieved by CASLE, but further progress requires a review of the current situation in respect of standards and provision in surveying education. A new Education Adviser to CASLE was appointed in June 2000 and a working group will produce a plan to 2003, which will include a revision of the location of courses information and the curriculum guidelines for surveying courses. CASLE will also investigate the potential of partnerships in the opening up of distance-learning, and innovative course delivery mechanisms, and will seek to assist in the provision of surveying education where need exists. Encouragement will be given to young people in the widening of their professional experience, as well as providing assistance on the delivery of continuing professional development and related workshop activities.

2.2.2 MEMBERSHIP. The Commonwealth is an association of 54 independent states, of which 4 are regarded as “developed” and the remainder as “developing”. The former are Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. It is understood that the surveying associations in those four countries withdrew their membership because they considered they did not need CASLE. However, there can be no question that the member associations of CASLE need them – they have so much to offer. In 1999 the RICS recognised the two-way benefit [ 7 ] and rejoined. With CASLE's strategy now clearly set out every effort will be made to maximise the benefits to existing member associations, and to bring others back to membership. (In the meantime, CASLE has greatly benefited from the input of some individual associate members from those countries as well as the academic institutions).

2.2.3 COMMUNICATIONS. One of the problems is reaching the individual members of member associations. As time goes on more and more will have the facility of e-mail, and this must be used to the maximum advantage. Running parallel with that is the internet, on which much information could be provided not just for members but for the world at large. The CASLE website at www.casle.org will be regularly updated, its content enlarged and it will be linked to other sites.

2.2.4 PUBLICATIONS. CASLE will take steps to improve and enhance existing publications and produce new works. These will include

The leading and prestigious primary journal ‘Survey Review' is published quarterly under the auspices of CASLE; it has its own webpage ( http//www.surveyreview.org.uk )

3. THE IMPLEMENTATION

3.1. In addition to work which may be initiated centrally, CASLE relies on the efforts of individual members, member organisations and societies in the implementation of agreed policies. CASLE will review its own organisation, looking to its regional Presidents and Vice-Presidents to take a leading role, in strengthening links with members and organisations in their respective areas, in helping to identify regional needs, in seeking dialogue with governments where appropriate and and other agencies and in keeping the CASLE office informed.

3.2. A 3-year ‘CASLE work plan' covering the period to 2003 will set out the implementation of this strategy, and will identify task forces and working groups drawn from the Commonwealth membership throughout the regions.

3.3. The leaders of the task forces and working groups will report to the Secretary-General of CASLE on the progress of their work on a 6-monthly basis.

Appendix:

The objects of CASLE, as stated in Article 2 of its Constitution, are:

(a) To maintain and strengthen professional links between Commonwealth and other countries, with the aim of assisting each country to achieve the scale, quality and integrity of resource management services that it requires
(b) To foster the establishment of professional societies in countries where none already exists and to promote their usefulness for the public advantage
(c) To foster appropriate standards of education and the establishment of appropriate training facilities and professional qualifications
(d) To evaluate educational standards, with the aims of co-ordinating rights of professional practice and of facilitating reciprocity of qualification
(e) To collect and circulate non-technical information regarding the professions concerned with land and marine resource management and their activities in different countries; to foster the development of research and technical information services; and to encourage the interchange of technical information
(f) To encourage and assist with the interchange of students and to foster an appointments advisory service
(g) To facilitate personal contacts within the professions, and contacts with other professional groups, such as ‘The International Federation of Surveyors'
(h) To undertake such other activities as the Association may, from time to time, consider desirable for the furtherance of the preceding objects (a)-(g) or objects related thereto

REFERENCES

[1] CASLE green booklet 1998, The Management and Sustainable Development of Natural Resources , page 4

[2] Available from The Commonwealth Institute, Kensington High Street, London W8 6NQ

[3] Focus on the Habitat Agenda, November, 1999, The Commonwealth Secretariat, London SW1Y 5HX

[ 4 ] The Bathurst Declaration on Land Administration for Sustainable Development covered much of this ground (FIG publication No. 21, December 1999). 'Best Practice for Land Administration Systems in Developing Countries' by Professor Ian Williamson, working in conjunction with the UN and World Bank (www.geom.unimelb.edu.au/people/ipw.html)

[5] CASLE was accredited as a Non-Government Organisation in 1996 at the UN Habitat 2 conference

[6] The Commonwealth at a Glance, Commonwealth Secretariat: h ttp://www.thecommonwealth.org

[ 7 ] The RICS President stated in April 1999 “Feedback from a number of our members in Africa and the Caribbean has indicated how highly CASLE is still viewed and that they would see it as an indication of support for them if the RICS were now to rejoin…”