Delegation from Vietnam Receives Thorough GIS Orientation CGIS Participates in UN Development Program Under the support and sponsorship of the United Nations (UN) Development Program, a team of four specialists from Vietnam completed a 3-week residence training program in April at The Centre for GIS (CGIS), Qatar to learn how to implement a GIS. Participants included Huynh Xuân Thu, Chief of Architecture; Mai Quang Hùng, Board of Cartography and Construction Survey; Võ Minh Vinh, Computer and Civil Engineer; and Nguyen Chí Thân, Electrical Engineer all from Hô Chí Minh City in Vietnam. The goal of the delegation's visit was to learn how GIS has been implemented in Qatar, so that a similar program could be initiated when they returned to Vietnam. To accomplish this, CGIS arranged an extensive training program for them. Activities included hand-on GIS training, meetings with various department heads, and visits to some of the various government agencies using GIS. Agencies included, Q-TEL, electricity, planning, roads, real estate registration, and drainage. In the Drainage Division, Shafik Jiwani, Head of the GIS section gave the group a demonstration of the Drainage Information System, which provides easy access to Drainage's extensive GIS database. Jiwani also demonstrated the ease of use of the GIS Kiosk from which "standard" and "as built" drawings can be accessed in a matter of minutes. The delegation spent some time in the field with a drainage department survey crew to learn about data collection procedures. The survey crew showed them record drawings, which are used to locate drainage features on site and the various record sheets filled out by inspectors. A demonstration of how a conditional survey is conducted was provided, highlighting the safety procedures required due to the possibility of lethal hydrogen sulfide gas. The group also had an opportunity to see how a positional survey is conducted using both the conventional (Total Station) and new (GPS) methods.   Back in the Drainage Division offices, the delegation was shown the various data entry and quality control procedures used before the collected information is stored in the Drainage database. The group is making plans for a pilot project, focusing on utilities, when they return home. They believe that GIS will not only strengthen the capabilities of the utilities, by helping them make better use of existing facilities, but will also promote intergovernmental cooperation. While the group was very enthusiastic about their experiences at CGIS and impressed with the comprehensive nature of the Qatar GIS, their only regret was that they could not spend more time here because there is so much to learn. CONTENTS NEXT