Vol. 7 No. 1 (2021): Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies (MJGPS) Volume 7 - 2021

Editorial Note

As we enter another pandemic year 2022, which certainly will be scary, boring, hopeless, and oddly familiar to everyone, due to the repertoire of Covid-19 infections, variants, isolation or lockdown, and dashed plans for research and innovation, we must remain resolutely determined to focus on quality research and publications as parts of our core values in a virile academic community. In other words, we must remember our collective resolve to enthrone a sustainable research culture at Unitech once and for all. We cannot afford to be weary and complacent, and then fail to join our hands with Unitech’s Administration (SEMT) and Government of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea in their vision to make Unitech a Centre of Excellence specialising in the production of technocrats for the nation.

One best way of demonstrating our unalloyed commitment to this clarion call is to resolve individually and collectively to change our attitude to innovative research and publications. Mass literacy, through mass education, is a sine qua non for sustainable national development. Yet, education on its own is incomplete without a deep commitment to meaningful research and development. Put another way, no nation can thrive without committing itself to theoretical and applied research. This is where Unitech’s contributions to national, regional, and international development comes in. We must always remember this unconditional policy expression as the core of our essence, without which we cannot fulfil our vision, mission, and objectives as a competitive university. Granted, the prime objective of our Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies based in the Department of Surveying and Land Studies at Unitech, is to be a conduit of change in Papua New Guinea, while hoping that this change will have beneficial implications for the larger society through knowledge diffusion and innovation. Therefore, we must not allow the fear of Covid-19 and its variants to kill our dream by making us become complacent and lukewarm in our attitude towards innovative research and publications. Here lies the driving force behind our achievement of the current Volume 7 of the Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies. We are extremely happy and grateful to God for making this Volume 7 a reality amidst the global pandemic confusion resulting in involuntary adoption of online teaching and learning in this and many other universities around the world.

Having regard to these limitations, the current edition (Volume 7) of our journal contains only four but interesting research papers. Focusing on Land Management/Administration, one paper that we received from abroad investigates Non-Inclusive Regulo-Administrative Ergonomics of Land Management System and Its Impacts on Sustainability of Nigeria’s Land Markets. Three other papers zero in on different applications of GIS and Remote Sensing, namely: Crime Mapping System for Papua New Guinea University of Technology Campus in Lea; Integration of Web-GIS & Remote Sensing to establish a Power Pole/Line Asset Management System – PNG Unitech Campus; and Spatial analysis of soil suitability for plantation development for suitable tree species in Markham Valley, Morobe Province. I urge you to go ahead and enjoy reading these articles with a sober reflection on the policy and professional implications of the four thought-provoking articles. On our own part, we are always willing, ready, and able to answer your questions on any of our current and previous six volumes because we believe that initiative-taking knowledge sharing is an indispensable driver of sustainable development.

Happy New Year! 

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 of Department