Lieutenant Governor Gregory R. Francis announces that the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will host the  Fourth Annual GIS Conference to be held on November 19-21, 2008 in St. Thomas. The theme of the conference is: Regional and Local Integration of GIS Technology through Business and Intergovernmental Collaboration.

The three-day conference will focus on how GIS (Geographic Information System) can assist local government agencies in advancing areas of public safety, infrastructure planning, preserving natural resources and agriculture. A slate of speakers from several federal government agencies will speak on topics ranging from crime analysis, mangrove forest distribution and using GIS to enhance call centers related to emergency services. Workshops presented will include updates on the Territory’s current use of GIS technology:  The Virgin Islands LiDAR Survey and Online Survey Map and Soil Data Mart are just a few of the workshops scheduled.

The deadline for registering the conference is October 31, 2008. The conference and accommodations will be held at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa in St. Thomas. For more information or to register for the GIS conference, contact Dr. Theresa Anduze-Parris at 773-6459 x3131.