CGIS Hosts Libyan delegation   In January, The Centre for GIS (CGIS) hosted a delegation from Libya on a fact-finding mission throughout the Middle East to determine the best method of implementing a GIS. The delegates included Abdussalam El- Marghani Milad, Head of the Information Office in The Urban Planning Agency and Nouri Khalifa Ghinijiwa, the Deputy Head. They were received by Hussain Al- Sayegh, CGIS Director of Public Relations and Abdulla Al-Kuwari, CGIS Head of Support Services. Qatar was the second stop for the delegation on a tour including GIS agencies in Jordan, Qatar, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia. The delegation was particularly interested in the general approach to setting up a GIS, as well as specific requirements for implementation in urban planning. The delegation received a comprehensive tour of CGIS operations during their 3 day visit. Highlights included visits to the Department of Planning and the Real Estate Registration Department. CGIS Promotes QND95 and QNG to GPS Hardware Vendors   Doctor in the House   The Centre for GIS (CGIS) has begun an ambitious campaign to induce global positioning system (GPS) hardware/software vendors to update the list of geodetic datums furnished with their systems to include the Qatar National Datum 1995 (QND95) as well as the Qatar National Grid (QNG), which is based on a modified Transverse Mercator projection. Using transformation values provided by CGIS, the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) data for Qatar can be accurately transformed to QND95 and vice-versa. WGS84 is the basis of a geodetic model of the earth used by surveyors and cartographers for a wide variety of applications. While several geodetic models exist, WGS84 is the world standard used for GPS. To determine the parameters used for the transformation of WGS84 to QND95, CGIS performed more than 1,100 hours of field observations at 71 geodetic network points located throughout the country, including its central GPS base station, which is designated as the nation's absolute geographic reference point. The transformation parameters were used in turn to refine the coordinate values of all geodetic control points in Qatar. Copies of the transformation values are available free of charge by contacting CGIS. In addition, real time differential corrections are broadcast from the CGIS central base station at 1 second intervals using a VHF transmitter. Access to the broadcast is available free of charge and the broadcast range is approximately 40 km, covering the entire capital city of Doha. Since the broadcast option is currently under review, it would be best to contact CGIS prior to purchasing a receiver. Raw GPS observations will also be available soon through the country's on-line bulletin board service, which is scheduled to commence operation in mid-1996. On February 8, CGIS was visited by 6 doctors currently participating in a 3-year Arab board residency training program in family medicine here in Doha. The doctors: Mustafa Abu Bakr (Trainer), Fatima Yaqub, Farieda Abdullah, Abeer Abu Abas, Ali Al-Bader, and Hashem Mohamed received their undergraduate medical training in various countries abroad including Saudi Arabia, Ireland, and Bahrain. Here in Doha, the doctors are learning epidemiology and research methodology for primary health care. Hosted at CGIS by Dr. Noor-Amin Noorani, the GIS Coordinator for Health, the doctors were introduced to GIS as a tool for managing health care services for their catchment populations as family physicians. The doctors could also use GIS as a resource tool in their research projects. CONTENTS NEXT