"Including local surveyors in state land titling projects through the Public Procurement system will create more opportunities for these professionals and boost the local economy." - Víctor Torres.
SANTO DOMINGO. - If the country's surveyors are hired for the program carried out by the Technical Unit for Land Titling of the State ( UTEC ), the titling of properties would be accelerated even further and communities would be revitalized.
Four members of the Dominican Association of Surveyors (Asodagrim) presented these considerations, highlighting that those hired should be professionals from the community where the work is delivered and that each one would generate or subcontract three or four other employees.
Victor Torres, president; Anny Medina, treasurer; Carlos Lopez, public relations secretary; and Franklin Mercado, legal consultant, explained that Dominican surveyors support the government's issuance of property titles to those who own real estate on state land, but they request that their services be contracted through lotteries or public competitions for this purpose.
They highlighted the importance of providing free recognition to people living on state-owned land, thus enhancing their legal security and the anticipated increase in property value.
They indicated that a UTEC (Technical University of the State of Mexico) exists, but that it uses its own staff to carry out the land surveying and all the technical requirements. However, these staff members should be the supervisors or inspectors of the work done by the contracted surveyors.
Members of the board of directors of Asodagrim. (Taken from Hoy).
Torres emphasized that the inclusion of local surveyors in state land titling projects via the Public Procurement system will create more opportunities for their professionals and boost the local economy.
He also said that it would ensure a better understanding of the terrain's characteristics and the needs of local farmers.
The president of Asodogrim indicated that they have sent several communications to the technical implementing unit but have not received a response.
He explained that hiring surveyors can even be cheaper than using the technical resources of the implementing unit.
“Nationwide, between 1,200 and 1,400 land surveying professionals graduate from universities. And when the State doesn't contract their services, they lose the opportunity to work,” he explained.
He stated that they even held a meeting with the Director of Public Procurement, Carlos Pimentel, and that Pimentel himself reported that he had asked the Executive Director of the State Land Titling Technical Unit, Duarte Méndez, to hold raffles for that type of service.
With information from the newspaper Hoy.
