Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1512115
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 NOVEMBER 2023 8 COMMERCIAL MITA and Esri user conference IN February of this year, MITA on behalf of the national Govern- ment endorsed a new three-year agreement with Esri Inc who are the global market leader in geo- graphic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping. The agreement provides access to the full suite of ArcGIS software for twenty-four Govern- ment Agencies. GIS technology enables individuals, organisations, and governments to take a geo- graphic approach to decision mak- ing by understanding challenges in the context of location. Hidden patterns, trends, and relationships emerge when data is visualised and analysed on a map. This loca- tion intelligence provides unique insights that empower real-time understanding and transform de- cision-making through faster data sharing and fluid collaboration. Earlier this month, MITA togeth- er with Esri hosted a User Confer- ence which brought together all the GIS users from various Gov- ernment Entities and Agencies for the first time. Attendees had the opportunity to expand their knowledge on the subject through the sharing of best practices from across the Government GIS com- munity and the Esri team. Addi- tionally, attendees learnt about the latest software, tools, and tech- niques for spatial analysis, map- ping, and data visualisation. This conference aimed to strengthen Government's position in geospatial technology and ser- vices. Participants coming from different Government sectors had the opportunity to interact with different keynote speakers from Esri and local experts related to the applicability and usage of GIS technology within Governmental Entities. During the conference, MITA CEO, Ing Emanuel Darmanin shared the Government's vision for GIS and its partnership with Esri re- lated to the applicability and usage of GIS technology. He stated that the conference aim was to serve as a platform for ongoing interaction, fostering the digital transformation journey through the promotion of government-wide digital policy, connectivity, shared platforms and services, and solutions to enhance coherence and efficiency. On the other hand, Mr. Dean An- gelides, Esri's Corporate Director International, shared Esri's vision for how GIS technology can be used to understand and solve some of the biggest challenges that the world faces. Mr. Nick Land, Esri Business De- velopment Manager, spoke about how integrated geospatial infra- structure is helping governments to better collaborate using shared, trusted data to focus on national challenges and priorities. Further- more, Esri's Deputy General Man- ager for the MEA region, Mr. Rich- ard Budden presented an overview of the capabilities of the ArcGIS system available today. During the conference, four local entities shared their success sto- ries on how this technology was applied to their day-to-day work. The first best practice was from Transport Malta, who are using Esri technology to strengthen the harmonisation required between the Authority, key stakeholders, lo- cal councils, and the public. On the other hand, the Planning Authority shared how they are us- ing drone-captured imagery data, which is processed within their GIS, to manage and maintain the national base map. Their work was presented through a 3D applica- tion that supports digital measure- ments, 3D sketching, shadow anal- ysis, line of sight, and view shed analysis of real-world features, all through a web-based interface. Subsequently, the Superintend- ence of Cultural Heritage illustrat- ed how they are using a GIS system to effectively record and monitor heritage features across the coun- try. They configured and made available several internal GIS appli- cations that enable the sharing of heritage data on a centralised hub, together with automated work- flows for viewing and editing data efficiently. Lastly, Ambjent Malta shared insights on their use of GIS to support environmental-focused asset management. Through mo- bile GIS apps they are supporting numerous workflows including tasking environmental rangers and inspectors in the field, cap- turing, and reporting Natura2000 site infringements. Ambjent Mal- ta is also using GIS technology to support its conversion program of various public gardens in Floriana into an official recognised Malta Botanic Gardens (MBG), by enable the documentation of plant species to support garden management, research, and education. This is being augmented with archival media about the location of her- itage material within the garden boundaries. MITA together with national GIS stakeholders and Esri will con- tinue its work towards strength- ening the local GIS community and strive to identify new oppor- tunities to use this transformative technology to bring value to the Government and its users. Ultimately, MITA aims to sup- port the government in delivering higher-quality public services to citizens and businesses. Mariano Debono