(CNS): Darren Kelly has been appointed as the new chief surveyor as part of an internal succession plan at the Department of Lands and Survey. Kelly is now responsible for managing the surveying section and its outputs, including the Cadastral Quality Assurance Unit and the Land Survey Office in Cayman Brac. He also has the authority to prepare and publish the official maps of the Cayman Islands, and is responsible for the graphical mutation of registry maps, including revisions and verification of strata plans.

Lands and Survey Director Uche Obi congratulated Kelly on what he said was a well deserved appointment after he successfully acted in the post for seven months.

“Darren’s commitment, hard work, determination and a willingness to learn has enabled him experience and rapid promotion within the Department of Lands and Survey. I am delighted that we have been able to appoint a deserving candidate to this senior post, demonstrating that Lands and Survey is committed to succession planning,” he said.

Kelly is a Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) and a Licensed Land Surveyor. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Surveying and Mapping Science from the University of East London, a Land Surveying Technician-professional certificate from the University of Technology, Jamaica, a Commander in Control certificate (UAV/drone) from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, and a Level 3 certificate in Leadership and Management (ILM).

His employment with the Lands and Survey began as an office assistant in 2003. Rising through the ranks, he served in three different survey technician roles, then geomatician and finally as senior geomatician.

Throughout his extensive 20-year tenure, Kelly has accumulated a portfolio of key successes and accomplishments specific to his field of expertise. Notably, he chairs the Land Surveyors Board and the National Hydrographic Coordinating Committee (NHCC) liaising with the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) in regards to all International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) maritime safety notifications within the Cayman Islands’ Exclusive Economic Zone.

In addition to presiding over critical organized technical groups, Darren Kelly has spearheaded the development and management of key technical programs such as, but not limited to: the Land Surveying section’s UAV/Drone program, the Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) network, the Cayman Island’s Tidal monitoring network and the electronic survey (E-survey) in tandem with the wider E-Government initiative.

Acting Chief Officer of the Ministry of Lands Wilbur Welcome described Kelly is a young Caymanian who exemplifies all the attributes and qualities necessary to be deemed world-class.

“Our ministry is committed to fulfilling the deputy governor’s vision for succession planning throughout our organisation,” he said. “This includes our underlying departments such as Lands and Survey. I am proud to see Lands and Survey position itself for sustainability and continued success by retaining critical institutional knowledge and experience honed by young stalwarts like Mr Kelly.”

Kelly said he was elated about the appointment and promised to enforce and develop regulations that promote good practice to best serve the people of the Cayman Islands. “During my 20-year tenure, I have witnessed the land surveying sector evolve into a geospatial data bank to obtain a better understanding of our physical surroundings,” he said. 

“Although this information continues to support many sectors operating within the built and natural environment, there is a consensus that more must be done to provide the general public with adequate awareness on legal boundary matters, while stoking the local population’s interest in the profession,” he added.