Chief Editor’s Note
As we stand at the threshold of 2024, the global arena is characterised by impactful and transformative occurrences, encompassing both internal conflicts within and between nations, as well as strides in digital technology embodied by Artificial Intelligence, all against the backdrop of pressing concerns including climate change. This edition of the journal brings forth four articles that provide nuanced insights into various dimensions of this intricate global landscape.
In the current issue (Volume 8 and 9), readers will discover four interesting research papers that delve into diverse topics. These contributions span the measurement of gamma radiation and dose rate in waste soil samples, the development of a void-less topographic index for hydrologic modelling, an examination of operational practices within the healthcare supply chain and its evolution through digital technologies in emerging economies, and a comprehensive landslide susceptibility mapping of the Kundiawa Gembogl District in the Simbu Province of Papua New Guinea.
The exploration of gamma radiation and dose rate in waste soil samples from Ok Tedi Mining Ltd, one of Papua New Guinea’s largest mining operations, sheds light on an ostensibly inconspicuous yet crucial concern with profound implications for the local environment and the welfare of Papua New Guinea.
Furthermore, two papers in this edition harness Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in distinct ways, including the formulation of a void-less topographic wetness index for hydrologic modelling and the mapping of landslide susceptibility in the Kundiawa Gembogl District, Simbu Province in Papua New Guinea.
In addition, a compelling investigation delves into the operational challenges within the healthcare supply chain, exploring its transformation through the adoption of transformative digital technologies such as blockchain, the Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence.
These four thought-provoking papers present a reflective analysis of significant global issues and their far-reaching implications. We trust that readers will find these articles both insightful and enjoyable. Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with intellectual exploration.
Dr. Andrew Pai
Head of the Department of Surveying & Land Studies
Call for Paper (Joint volume 8 & 9, 2023)
Deadline of Submission: 31st October, 2023
Expected date of Publication: By end of the year, 2023
Publication charge: Free
Dear Researcher
Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies (MJGPS) is a new peer-reviewed open access journal in subjects of scholarly research and practical experience of a wide range of research areas including satellite remote sensing, change detection, image processing and pattern recognition, remote sensing applications, geographical information system, photogrammetry and digital mapping, geodesy sciences, spatial data analysis, environmental sciences, climate change, new-style energy, energy conversion, waste disposal strategies, environmental technologies, processes linking environments, soil science, environmental biology, ecology and sustainable development, geosciences and environmental physics, cadastral mapping, land information system, property valuation, development appraisal, property development / management, land registration/dispute settlement, land law, urban and regional planning, evaluation and management of environmental risk and safety or any other property/land related topics
We are calling for submission of papers.
Submit Your Article to sailesh.samanta@pnguot.ac.pg
Papers for the 7th edition have been published.
From the Chief Editor’s Desk
As we enter another pandemic year 2022, which certainly will be scary, boring, hopeless, and oddly familiar to everyone, due to the repertoire of Covid-19 infections, variants, isolation or lockdown, and dashed plans for research and innovation, we must remain resolutely determined to focus on quality research and publications as parts of our core values in a virile academic community. In other words, we must remember our collective resolve to enthrone a sustainable research culture at Unitech once and for all. We cannot afford to be weary and complacent, and then fail to join our hands with Unitech’s Administration (SEMT) and Government of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea in their vision to make Unitech a Centre of Excellence specialising in the production of technocrats for the nation.
One best way of demonstrating our unalloyed commitment to this clarion call is to resolve individually and collectively to change our attitude to innovative research and publications. Mass literacy, through mass education, is a sine qua non for sustainable national development. Yet, education on its own is incomplete without a deep commitment to meaningful research and development. Put another way, no nation can thrive without committing itself to theoretical and applied research. This is where Unitech’s contributions to national, regional, and international development comes in. We must always remember this unconditional policy expression as the core of our essence, without which we cannot fulfil our vision, mission, and objectives as a competitive university.
Granted, the prime objective of our Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies based in the Department of Surveying and Land Studies at Unitech, is to be a conduit of change in Papua New Guinea, while hoping that this change will have beneficial implications for the larger society through knowledge diffusion and innovation. Therefore, we must not allow the fear of Covid-19 and its variants to kill our dream by making us become complacent and lukewarm in our attitude towards innovative research and publications. Here lies the driving force behind our achievement of the current Volume 7 of the Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies. We are extremely happy and grateful to God for making this Volume 7 a reality amidst the global pandemic confusion resulting in involuntary adoption of online teaching and learning in this and many other universities around the world.
Having regard to these limitations, the current edition (Volume 7) of our journal contains only four but interesting research papers. Focusing on Land Management/Administration, one paper that we received from abroad investigates Non-Inclusive Regulo-Administrative Ergonomics of Land Management System and Its Impacts on Sustainability of Nigeria’s Land Markets. Three other papers zero in on different applications of GIS and Remote Sensing, namely: Crime Mapping System for Papua New Guinea University of Technology Campus in Lea; Integration of Web-GIS & Remote Sensing to establish a Power Pole/Line Asset Management System – PNG Unitech Campus; and Spatial analysis of soil suitability for plantation development for suitable tree species in Markham Valley, Morobe Province.
I urge you to go ahead and enjoy reading these articles with a sober reflection on the policy and professional implications of the four thought-provoking articles. On our own part, we are always willing, ready, and able to answer your questions on any of our current and previous six volumes because we believe that initiative-taking knowledge sharing is an indispensable driver of sustainable development. Happy New Year!
Professor (Dr.) Jacob Babarinde(Head of Department of Surveying & Land Studies)
From the Desk of Chief Editor After the 6th Edition
On behalf of the DSLS and our Departmental Research Committee, I am delighted to
welcome you to the sixth edition (2020) of our Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and
Property Studies. Since 2015, our journal has consistently informed and inspired academics,
researchers and graduate students who are interested in the broad areas of geomatics
(surveying and GIS), real estate, environmental planning and regional analysis. This year
2020 has been a very challenging year for all academics and researchers around the world
considering the concomitant effects of Covid-19 pandemic on researchers’ motivation and
access to data for publishing their research work in peer-reviewed journals. Yet, we have
remained undaunted and resolute in pushing ourselves forward to achieve our set goal of
remaining in the forefront of academic research frontiers.
From our humble beginnings we have forged ahead and sustained the annual publication of
our departmental journal for the sixth year running, and we remain determined to sustain our
original goal of instilling a trend of collegiality and collaboration amongst the national and
expatriate academics, and graduate students to publish research findings of applied nature
that are geared towards making PNG and other nations around the world sustainable.
We are pleased to share with you five interesting peer-reviewed papers, which we hope would
be of interest to the broader environmental research community.Our primary goal remains
that of encouraging applied research that synchronizes perfectly with the aspirations of the
society as envisioned by our University’s Strategic Plan 2020-2024 of producing technocrats
for the nation,while simultaneously aligning with PNG’s Vision 2050 and the United
Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
To this end, our current Volume 6(2020) of the Journal presents five (5) interesting peer-
reviewed papers covering diverse applied research topics ranging from a design of storm
water drainage system for Lae City, spatial assessment and identification of suitable landfills
for solid waste disposal in Madang Urban, conventional urban model for explaining factors
determining residential property rentals and prices in Lae City, an assessment of SABLs in
PNG, to an analysis of land boundary and ownership disputes and settlements in Simbu
Province, PNG.Obviously, the Covid-19 restrictions that we all witnessed this year have
placed a limitation on the number of papers that we were initially willing to publish this year.
Nonetheless, we encourage you to consider publishing your research findings in our Journal.
Great researchers don’t give up! Start today and take the small steps that will incrementally
build your research profile since ‘Rome was not built in a day.’ Our editorial staff are always
willing, ready and able to assist you to achieve your research goal as we work together as
partners to build a sustainable world through cutting-edge research.
Happy reading and compliments of the season! Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Jacob A. Babarinde, PhD, FRICS, MCIP/RPP, Cert. Ed. (Lond), Chartered & Regd.
Valuation Surveyor, Ontario-Regd. Urban Planner &Licensed Realtor, Certified Publons
Academy Peer Reviewer, Professor and Hea
From the desk of Chief Editor After the 5th Edition
Welcome to the fifth edition of Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies. Founded in 2015, the journal informs and inspires academics, researchers and graduate students interested in the broad areas of geomatics, real estate, environmental planning and regional analysis. Having successfully emerged from the initial era of weak research culture in our department, we have now achieved our goal of instilling a trend of collegiality and collaboration amongst the national and expatriate academics, and graduate students to publish research findings of applied nature that are geared towards making nations around the world sustainable.
We are pleased to share interesting current research findings in our Journal, which we hope would be of interest to the broader environmental research community. Our primary goal is to encourage research that is relevant to the society and our University’s Strategic Plan’s vision and mission of producing technocrats for the nation, while simultaneously aligning with PNG’s Vision 2050 and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
The current Volume 5 of the Journal presents five (5) interesting peer-reviewed papers covering diverse topics ranging from squatter settlements, land taxation, cocoa cultivation and land use-land cover classification, to entrepreneurship education in institutions of higher learning. We have continued to raise the international stature of the journal by featuring a paper from Nigeria on ‘Real estate and urban planning professionalism: the impact of entrepreneurship education on innate talent, self-employment propensity and consultancy practice.’
We encourage you to consider publishing your research findings in our Journal. Great researchers don’t procrastinate. Start today and take the small steps that will incrementally build your research profile since ‘Rome was not built in a day.’ Our editorial staff are always ready to assist you all the way as we work together as partners to build a sustainable world through cutting-edge research.
Happy reading and compliments of the season!
Sincerely,
Jacob A. Babarinde, PhD, FRICS, MCIP/RPP, Cert. Ed. (Lond)
(Chartered & Regd. Estate Surveyor, Ontario-Regd. Planner & Licensed Realtor)
Professor and Head of Department, Surveying and Land Studies
PNG University of Technology
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Message from Chief Editor After the 4th Edition
From the desk of Chief Editor
It is indeed gratifying to note that the Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies (MJGPS) is going to see a successful 4th year in a row. This year we are bringing out 7 peer-reviewed papers. In order to retain the international stature of the journal we have introduced one paper originating from Nigeria on ‘Nigerian land administration system as the facilitator of sustainable land development.’ We have another important paper on ‘Decision making toward eking out livelihood in customary land holding system’ coming from researchers in the Department of Higher education, National Capital District of Papua New Guinea.
Most importantly, we have achieved our goal of instilling a trend amongst the national academics to publish research findings, which is evinced in five papers. All these five papers are focused on segments of paramount national interest. The significance of applying Geomatics in diverse sectors like infrastructure development, resources inventories, disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management has been aptly demonstrated.
With the advent of this journal 4 years ago, now we find a broad spectrum involvement of faculties and graduate students from our department. Previously our department had a narrow-based engagement of a few prolific researchers. That the canvas has metamorphosed today, gives me immense pleasure.
Wish you all happy reading and drawing motivation leading to a spree of useful research activities in the years ahead.
Regards and best wishes,
Dilip K Pal
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Message from Chief Editor After the 3rd Edition
From the desk of Chief Editor
It is indeed heartening to witness that the 3rd issue of Melanesian Journal of Geomatics and Property Studies (MJGPS) is being brought out successfully on time. At the time of first publication some of my peers said to me – it is easy to start with a rush of adrenaline, but it is very difficult to continue as the excitement evaporates with time. But then the ‘process of natural decay of excitement’ doesn’t hold good for our executive editor Professor Jacob Babarinde whose steadfast zeal has been keeping our journal vibrant and throbbing in full throttle.
Initial motive behind bringing out this journal was to enthuse our departmental academics to get wedded to sustaining research culture and bring new ideas, shape them in tune with country’s resources development and disaster management aspirations. We are marching ahead briskly in these directions. Our research endeavours are aptly recognised by the Government of the day. Very recently country’s Hon’ble Minister for Planning and Monitoring, Richard Maru visited our department to have a glance at our research outputs directed to his ministerial precinct. Having satisfied himself, Hon’ble Minister has given us a special grant of USD 65,000 exclusively for our lab infrastructure with state of the art set of GNSS receivers. All these will go a long way in churning out quality research outputs towards nation building.
The current issue contains five research papers that cover a wide range of issues in application of science and technology for natural and man-made resources development, planning and management.
I wish all the very best, and a thought provoking, happy reading.
Sincerely,
Dilip Kumar Pal, PhD (IIT, India)
Professor and Head, Department of Surveying & Land Studies
The Papua New Guinea University of Technology
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Our maiden issue published in 2015 carried seven peer reviewed scientific papers. The papers received good attention and gave us the desired momentum to carry forward. Basic aim of commencing this journal was to motivate our university academics to engage themselves in healthy competition of writing papers from their research outputs.
My peers often comment that it is the adrenaline that starts a scientific journal with much fanfare does not inhabit for long. Sustaining the journal year after year is the real challenge for everybody concerned.
I am happy to see that our publishing team has not allowed the ecstasy to fade away. This year also we received very good contributions from the researchers in the relevant fields and we are going to publish five blind-folded peer reviewed papers amongst the contributions received for the 2nd issue.
We would crave to see this journal attaining international standard through contributions of researchers from various parts of globe with multi-faceted geographic issues.
With the continued recession in the country we keep facing severe financial crisis and allocating fund to innovation and research is becoming a bigger challenge. It is indeed heartening that with very limited resources our department has been able to keep our research engine in full throttle.
I reiterate my belief that our resolute enterprise will assist in getting over such hurdles and make the journal an ongoing success story through participation from national as well as international researchers.
Professor D K Pal, Ph.D (IIT)
Head, Department of Surveying and Land Studies, PNG University of Technology, Lae, Papua New Guinea