Land Surveyors Disciplinary Committee
Land Surveyors Disciplinary Committee
The Land Surveyors Disciplinary Committee (Disciplinary Committee) is established for the purpose of hearing and determining complaints brought before it. Only the Disciplinary Committee shall hear the charge against a person registered under the Act. The Board has also published its Code of Ethics, designed primarily for the protection of the public, which standards persons registered under the Act must subscribe to and follow in the practice of land surveying.
Where a person alleges that he has been aggrieved by an act of professional misconduct or default committed by a person registered under the Land Surveyors Act, he may apply to the Board by way of letter to require that person to answer the allegations, however a current standardized complains form is now used to report complain matters to the Board.
The Board may appoint the Registrar/Secretary (R/S) to pre-examine all or any class of complaints made against persons registered under this Act. Upon completion of the pre-examination process, the R/S may refer the complaint for the Board’s attention or for instructions; or undertake a preliminary investigation regarding the complaint; or recommend to the Board that no further action be taken. If he is of the opinion that the complaint is frivolous or without basis or, if proven, would not constitute conduct unbecoming a Land Surveyor he may submit a recommendation to the Board. The Board decides if a charge is to be laid.
Disciplinary action may be taken where a Land Surveyor registered under the Act if he –
- has obtained his registration by reason of misrepresentation;
- has been convicted of an offence under the repealed Ordinance or the Act or any offence involving dishonesty; or
- has, in his practice of surveying as outlined in the Code of Ethics, conducted himself unprofessionally, or been guilty of conduct unbecoming a land surveyor,
Conduct Unbecoming of a Surveyor
The following conduct is deemed unprofessional and unbecoming a surveyor:
- acting as a professional agent of a person not qualified to practise as a surveyor and using or permitting his name to be used in any such agency;
- doing any act that is calculated to or makes a person believe that a person who is not a surveyor is entitled by law to practise surveying and charge fees accordingly;
- falsely certifying as to the service and practical experience under articles of a Land Surveying Graduate;
- failing or neglecting to—
- instruct a Land Surveying Graduate;
- supervise the work of a Land Surveying Graduate; or
- ensure that a Land Surveying Graduate obtains practical experience in land surveying in the manner prescribed;
- failing to answer promptly correspondence received from the Board or from the Disciplinary Committee;
- doing any other act which under the Act is considered to be unbecoming and unprofessional conduct becoming of a Surveyor.
Where the Disciplinary Committee makes an order it is the duty of the Board to give effect to that Order.
