by Linda Straker
- Venance Msacky, last appointed Director of Lands and Surveys, retired a few years ago
- Director of Lands and Surveys post not listed vacant in 2024 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure
- Press Secretary confirmed Skeritt’s appointment but could not provide citation
The Government of Grenada has appointed George Skerritt, a native of Montserrat who holds BSc degrees in Land Surveying and in Management Studies as well as a post Graduate Certificate in Project Management, as the new Director of Lands in the Ministry of Agriculture.
It is not clear when he was appointed to the post which was not listed as vacant in the 2024 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure.
Neila Ettienne, Press Secretary, confirmed Skeritt’s appointment but could not provide a citation of Skerritt, who in 2020 was appointed as the Disaster Manager with the Montserrat Red Cross (MRC). A statement on the MRC website announcing his then appointment said that as a land surveyor, he possesses skills in mapping and Geographical Information Systems.
“I await an official citation from the Ministry of Agriculture about the new director. Please feel free to contact the Ministry of Agriculture for further information and or the citation,” Ettienne instructed. Her recommendation was obeyed, however, the Ministry of Agriculture is yet to acknowledge receipt of the email or provide the citation 6 days after the request was forwarded.
Grenada’s Land Surveyors Act provides for the appointment of a Director of Lands and Surveys who shall be a public officer and a registered surveyor.
The Act said that the Director of Lands and Surveys shall be the authority for the preparation and publication of the official map of Grenada and who, subject to the provisions of this Act, shall:
(a) supervise and control all surveys
(b) direct all public surveys
(c) examine and approve all general and specific survey plans before registration pursuant to the Deeds and Lands Registry Act, Chapter 79
(d) take charge of and preserve all survey records
(e) cancel, or amend in accordance with the provisions of any Act, any survey plan or diagram found to be incorrect, outdated or inadequate; and
(f) prepare, certify and issue at the request of any person, upon payment of the prescribed fee, copies of diagrams and documents available to the public and kept within the Survey Department.
The last appointed Director of Lands and Surveys was Venance Msacky who retired from the service a few years ago. Following his retirement, several public officers who served as surveyors were appointed to Act in the post.
