The Institute of Surveyors Saint Lucia Inc. (ISSL) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday August 15, 2020 at the Financial Centre in Castries. At the AGM, its voting membership elected a new Executive Board of Directors to serve a one-year term. The elected directors of the ISSL are President – Mrs. Tryce Loctar-Polius, Vice Presidents – Mrs. Margaret Ann Charles, Secretary – Mr. Clive Hippolyte, Treasurer – Dr Sylvester Sonson, PRO – Mr. Keegan L Preville, Immediate Past President – Mr. Tedburt Theobalds, Director for Quantity Surveying – Mr. Marvin Alphonse, Director for Valuation Surveying – Mr. Sheldon Sylvester and Director for Land surveying – Mr. Lynn Holstein
The Executive Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic direction and management of the affairs of the Institute. The new Executive Board has vouched to focus on the following priorities during its tenure:
• To support and encourage members of the Institute to maintain, develop and enhance their competencies to better meet the needs of their clients;
• To sensitize the public on the wide range of services provided by the survey professionals within the Institute.
• To collaborate with the financial institutions, on behalf of the members, to initiate a National Appraisal and Valuation System within Saint Lucia.
• To respond to the key issues facing the surveying and valuation profession in Saint Lucia;
• To act in the best interest of all the members of the Institute;
• To encourage membership of the ISSL to place great emphasis on health and safety in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic and build resiliency in adapting to the challenges of the COVID 19 pandemic and uncertainties of the global economy.
The Institute of Surveyors Saint Lucia Inc. (ISSL) is a non-profit organisation established in 2003 to advance the surveying and valuation profession in the public interest and to bring about positive change in the built environment in Saint Lucia. The membership of ISSL falls in five specific disciplines within the profession: Quantity Surveying, Valuation Surveying, Land Surveying, Building Surveying and Hydrographic Surveying. The core roles of the professionals in five specific disciplines within the profession are as follows:
1. Quantity surveyors undertake cost management on construction projects. Quantity surveyors prepare preliminary budgets, advise on building procurement methods, prepare bills of quantities, prepare tender documents, examine tenders and priced bills of quantities, monitors cost during the implementation of projects, prepare valuation report on stage payments, and upon completion of the project prepare final accounts. They help to ensure that the construction project is completed within its projected budget.
2. Valuation surveyors are concerned with the appraisal and valuation of property for the purposes of investment in land, advising financial and banking institutions with respect to mortgages, providing companies with information related to their assets and financial portfolio;
3. Land surveyors use specialized equipment to measure and mark property boundaries, calculating the dimensions, elevations, shapes, and contours of sites for public, government, and private development involve in the surveying and mapping, management and administration of land for development purposes;
4. Building surveyors are responsible for advising clients about the design, construction, maintenance and repair of buildings. They survey buildings and then report on their findings and make recommendations;
5. Hydrographic surveyors use state-of-the-art technology to produce detailed plans of sea beds, harbours and waterways. The role involves measuring and mapping underwater surfaces and studying the morphology (construction) of the ocean floor, showing the depth, shape and contours.
Furthermore, the Institute of Surveyors Saint Lucia Inc. works in collaboration with other professional organisations, government departments, financial services businesses, academic institutions and other stakeholders to increase public trust and confidence in its professional members and the profession.
The members of ISSL are required to comply with various international professional standards of practice (e.g. International Valuation Standards (IVS), the Standard Method of Measurement (SMM7) of building works), the Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement (CESMM), which underpin ethics, consistency and transparency.
All members are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for ISSL. This is achieved by upholding to its established or endorsed standards. Professional members of ISSL will deliver confidence to the users of their professional services and enhance their relevance in the marketplace.