Vol. 6 No. 1 (2020): Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies (MJGPS) Volume 6 - 2020

Editorial Note

On behalf of the DSLS and our Departmental Research Committee, I am delighted to welcome you to the sixth edition (2020) of our Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies. Since 2015, our journal has consistently informed and inspired academics, researchers and graduate students who are interested in the broad areas of geomatics (surveying and GIS), real estate, environmental planning and regional analysis. This year 2020 has been a very challenging year for all academics and researchers around the world considering the concomitant effects of Covid-19 pandemic on researchers’ motivation and access to data for publishing their research work in peer-reviewed journals. Yet, we have remained undaunted and resolute in pushing ourselves forward to achieve our set goal of remaining in the forefront of academic research frontiers.

From our humble beginnings we have forged ahead and sustained the annual publication of our departmental journal for the sixth year running, and we remain determined to sustain our original goal of instilling a trend of collegiality and collaboration amongst the national and expatriate academics, and graduate students to publish research findings of applied nature that are geared towards making PNG and other nations around the world sustainable. We are pleased to share with you five interesting peer-reviewed papers, which we hope would be of interest to the broader environmental research community.Our primary goal remains that of encouraging applied research that synchronizes perfectly with the aspirations of the society as envisioned by our University’s Strategic Plan 2020-2024 of producing technocrats for the nation,while simultaneously aligning with PNG’s Vision 2050 and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

To this end, our current Volume 6(2020) of the Journal presents five (5) interesting peer- reviewed paper covering diverse applied research topics ranging from a design of storm water drainage system for Lae City, spatial assessment and identification of suitable landfills for solid waste disposal in Madang Urban, conventional urban model for explaining factors determining residential property rentals and prices in Lae City, an assessment of SABLs in PNG, to an analysis of land boundary and ownership disputes and settlements in Simbu Province, PNG.Obviously, the Covid-19 restrictions that we all witnessed this year have placed a limitation on the number of papers that we were initially willing to publish this year. Nonetheless, we encourage you to consider publishing your research findings in our Journal. Great researchers don’t give up! Start today and take the small steps that will incrementally build your research profile since ‘Rome was not built in a day.’ Our editorial staff are always willing, ready and able to assist you to achieve your research goal as we work together as partners to build a sustainable world through cutting-edge research.

 Happy reading and compliments of the season! Stay safe.

 Sincerely,

Jacob A. Babarinde, PhD, FRICS, MCIP/RPP, Cert. Ed. (Lond), Chartered & Regd. Valuation Surveyor, Ontario-Regd. Urban Planner &Licensed Realtor, Certified Publons Academy Peer Reviewer, Professor and Head