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Topic: [ANN] Bitland - ICO - Decentralized Land Registry - page 24. (Read 84802 times)

sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
ICO is done in less than 24 hours.

Pulling the tokens off the market today Smiley

lulz
sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
http://www.reuters.com/article/markets-swiss-stocks-idUSL8N1BS40E

INTEL | Mon Sep 19, 2016 | 2:03am EDT
Swiss stocks - Factors to watch on Sept 19

* WISeKey International Holding announced its intention to establish a blockchain "centre of excellence" in Mauritius to assist the Mauritius government in creating a blockchain ecosystem.

 Cool  Cool  Cool
 Cool  Cool  Cool
 Cool  Cool  Cool

Croxx gets it
sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
Aaaaaaaaand here come all the announcements about the Centre of Excellence Wink


https://smartcitiesworld.net/news/news/blockchain-centre-of-excellence-for-mauritius-939



"Blockchain centre of excellence for Mauritius"
WISeKey will also deploy a blockchain-as-a-service platform to help the government create a blockchain ecosystem
sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250


Bitland is officially registered in Mauritius.  We have secured an office space, and Mr. Prakash Bheekhoo - a local Telecom guru- will be heading up the offices in Mauritius.

Offices













Prakash Bheekhoo in the head office of Bitland LTD (Mauritius Branch)
sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
Kame has answered some of those questions great already:

1.  LAP and MiDA have stalled out due to government corruption and that the funds were not spent properly.  Thus the reason the Ghanaian government is still looking for pilot projects to solve the issue (with the help of the LAP is how we are doing this)

2.  The plan from the very beginning has been to create physical operations centers in each country that have local access to the tools necessary for individuals to register their titles.  Main thing being, many people don't want to work with government officials, so they will not comply.  Acting as a LOCAL third party can bridge the gap between locals who need protection and governments who WANT to offer protection, but have lost the bridge of trust.

3.  No one has a system in place that is invulnerable to the many flawed protocols that have affected IP, and thus their databases are extremely vulnerable.  Plus, land constantly changes, so surveying land is something that needs to be done regularly and periodically.  Have you seen the ACTUAL map of Louisiana lately?

4.  There is no "blockchain ledger" without government approval.  You can't just go into a country and make your own ledger.  That is not what we are doing.  That is why the "Mauritian Government" invited us there.  We are working WITH governments, not AROUND them.  We aim to make governance easier.

5.  If land is already registered, being able to have data from various sectors about that piece of land in one place and immutable makes it MUCH easier to anticipate how to develop it.  If you're not familiar, most governments have their data distributed around many silos, and do not have a central database for "combining and analyzing data".  Adding blockchain to a land registry, cadaster, and combining with other relevant data will allow a new level of access control and analysis that was not possible without creating a major risk for security breach.

6.  We don't give a shit about crypto.  Crypto is 90% anarchist.  This project is not meant for them.  This is why they cannot grasp that we are working WITH governments, not around them.  When the project started, we got a tremendous amount of pushback from people in the "crypto community" who couldn't understand the applications or why governments would work with this project.  We don't care about that 90% of crypto.  It is a very confused, uninformed, and delusional demographic.

7.  As far as what you're saying about "what this project will need"...you are ABSOLUTELY right...it WILL take all those things.  That is why our development team is robust, and we are working WITH governments on both sides of the aisles so that no election will compromise the project in any country.  As well, YES, it will need tremendous local security and support.  We have anticipated this.  You are very spot on with your observations, and I say this because what has been raised were the VERY issues we have been working for the last 2 years to understand so they DON'T become an impediment to progress.

Thanks for the great questions!

Best,

Chris
sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
To give some context for the Mauritian government, they invited 5 blockchain specialists to meet with their entire government.  Over 2 days, we presented to pretty much every department and ministry that is involved in their government.  They showed me their digital cadaster that they have been developing since 2009, which has cost them 45 million.  They needed a PLAN to implement blockchain technology, and that is what myself, Primavera de Filippi, Carlos Moreira, Sebastien Couture, and Anuj Das Gupta were there to do. 

What is REALLY crazy is that due to Mauritius' isolation, they knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about blockchain. 

It was interesting to see what an island in geographic isolation was really like concerning news.

They had no negative OR positive connotations with the blockchain.  They had not heard the "anarchist", "anti-government", "anti-bank" rhetoric, so we did not have to deconstruct it.

When that article talks about "me suggesting" that Mauritius become a Hague for international data storage on blockchains, that is in the context of Mr. Moreira starting a "Center of Excellence" in Mauritius.

What THAT means is that the government and Wisekey are matching each other's funds to open what amounts to a "Blockchain University" in Mauritius.

They are planning seminars, workshops, and already have what is called a "Sandbox Regulation" which will NOT over-regulate blockchain tech to allow for it to grow.

They understand that OVERREGULATING this technology will inhibit its growth.

Now, please understand, We met with Mr. Sanspeur multiple times over the course of these events, who is the Senior Advisor of the Ministry of Finances.

http://www.lemauricien.com/article/technologie-blockchain-gerard-sanspeur-la-possibilite-faire-maurice-plateforme-regionale-exi
http://ict.io/mieux-comprendre-adopter-blockchain/
http://anotao.com/nouvelles/link/mu/2016090325927/www.lemauricien.com/article/technologie-blockchain-gerard-sanspeur-la-possibilite-faire-maurice-plateforme-regionale-exi


Let me reiterate:

The ENTIRE reason that they flew 5 blockchain specialists into their country was so they could develop an implementation plan.

I am working with the State Land Development Company to create a working pilot for the Mauritian government to show how all of their GPS, Title, and socio-economic information can be combined into an interactive heat map that has the information stored on a blockchain.

That is happening.

There is no "if".

Chris
sr. member
Activity: 324
Merit: 250
AFAIK, FACTOM just got buy in from US Land Registry related office. So that, it is a good sight and an advantage that FACTOM has an advantage against others -for USA.

Ghana is one of most advanced developing country in S.Africa and land price is very well rising right after oilfield found. Some lands are more expensive than Tokyo now.

when you want buy a land at Ghana, you will realize that type of land has two type that one owned by gov. and one owned by a community. you most likely have to negotiate with the Chief(nana) for the community land following "customary law" and "written law", that is far different in between USA. However, the land operation system is sometime causing fraud and kill of people while the Chief does special salts and peppers for root cause mess up.

Not only that, the land registration is taken over to mother blood related family and father blood related family customarily depends on states or each community.

As much as I research of Ghana, I can imagine a lot of difficulty to this project. Before implementing BlockChain tech, certainly big challenge to Chris.

However, the reason why I invested my 1 BTC to this project is, what Chris said;

"This project is not about the land, it's about people live on the land."



That's good enough to support this pilot project.

Anyone interested this project to invest, don't dream to much that the project will 100% success. Just put your little will and courtesy to the project team to make a miracle happenShocked

Go Bitland!!
legendary
Activity: 1960
Merit: 1128
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160916005594/en/WISeKey-Launch-Blockchain-Center-Excellence-Mauritius-Develop


who convinced an entire government to implement blockchain tech across the board?

this guy...

 Cool


(and friends like Carlos Moreira)

"Finally, Mr. Larry Christopher Bates, Chief Security Officer and President of Bitland Global, suggested that Mauritius can become the “Blockchain Valley” through the advent of a cyber-security Hague for international data-houses. He maintained that this will inevitably contribute to economic growth.

Blockchain as a technology is here to stay. The onus remains on us to harness its advantages and leverage them for the benefit of Mauritian businesses, consumers and the Government. In addition, Blockchain KYC’s efficiencies and cryptographic protocols deliver stronger security and faster compliance with reduced operating costs."



so...who is doubting bitland now?

I still have a lot of doubts. You say:

"who convinced an entire government to implement blockchain tech across the board?

this guy..."



In the article is stated: "Mr. Larry Christopher Bates, Chief Security Officer and President of Bitland Global, suggested that Mauritius (...)"


I would say there is a difference between "convincing" and "suggesting". ;-)


And just btw: Factom is working with Honduras on land-title-registry but what is obvious: Politics are slow and while it seems there is some progress, the Factom-team itself says that it will take some time.
full member
Activity: 138
Merit: 100
After doing some research, there still does not seem to be any adequate proof as to how BitLand can solve the country's land registration issues.

Some reading:

Land Title Registration. The Ghanaian Experience
Registering Property in Ghana
ghana's land administration at a crossroads - Focus on Land
Creating Property Rights: Land Banks in Ghana

Now for the nitpicking (bear with me, no ill wishes here)


What is BitLand?

BitLand operates to address the problem of insecure land tenure, bring confidence of investment to emerging markets, and unlock land wealth stagnating due to inefficient legacy systems. The focus is on creating an effective virtual land registry utilizing blockchain technology, spearheading collaborative solution implementation, and jump starting a fully transparent ecosystem for all users. We aim to allow individuals and organizations to survey land, manage deeds and titles, perform applicable transactions, and then record the information on the blockchain.    



Care to explain...how?  Spearheading collaborative solution implementation? So...team building exercises?  Tongue Managing deeds and titles through a blockchain might not go by too well with people whom already have a system in place, not to mention when said system is corrupt and violent in many areas.

Why Ghana?

Land registration in Ghana has historically been cumbersome and disorganized. As a result, thousands of titles remain unregistered and land conflicts are rife. Of the 42,000 applications for land registration submitted between 1986 and 2006, less than 30 percent were registered. Land conflicts arise as claimants take advantage of the poorly coordinated system and register titles without other claimants’ knowledge. The adjudication system for conflicts is weak, courts are overwhelmed, and decisions are poorly enforced.

Since colonial times, Ghana’s land sector has suffered from splintered institutional functions and an underdeveloped land registration system. But, the government and international donors are beginning to address these challenges through legal reforms and more systematic land registration.

As of January 2011, several projects are seeking to strengthen the land sector in Ghana and formalize tenure. These include: the Government of Ghana’s Land Administration Project (LAP), which is supported by the World Bank; the Millennium Development Authority’s Land Tenure Facilitation Activity supported by the US; and private sector programs led by Medeem LLC as well as the Micro-Mortgage and Land Titling Project led by Opportunity International and International Land Systems (ILS).

Under the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), Ghana is implementing a pilot project in peri-urban Accra to title and register land. The ten-step process begins with a parcel inventory and involves verification by landowners, and a time for public scrutiny. It takes 31 days for 100 parcels and costs about $200-$250 per registered parcel. To date, MiDA has issued and registered 270 land titles using this process.

It is uncertain how the Government of Ghana would scale-up projects nationwide. Challenges persist in terms of making the process simple, efficient and cost effective for both landholders and land administration authorities. Unless the “costs” associated with land registration are sufficiently low vis-a-vis the benefits perceived by landholders, land registration records can rapidly become obsolete, jeopardizing the investments made to reform registration systems.

The Ghanaian government, World Bank, and other agencies have been battling the issue of insecure land tenure with limited to moderate success with collective focus since 2003. Phase I of the Land Administration Project ended in 2010 and Phase II is scheduled to run through 2017. Both phases of the project were/are plagued with the same issues as mentioned in the above excerpt. Although these efforts have been hampered, Ghana has posted exemplary GDP gains over the last decade while facing the identified problems.  

While this information is interesting, where does 'bitland' fit in to all of this, and how will it specifically solve these problems?  Emphasis on the 'specific' - How can Bitland solve these disputes better than the plan laid out by MiDA?


BitLand Ghana

BitLand Ghana is the home of the pilot program for BitLand. It is the NGO which has been operating in Kumasi, Ghana and the surrounding communities for the past 2 years. To date, it has completed public out-reach, crypto-currency/blockchain seminars, and land rights informational road-shows in 28 communities in preparation for the launch of BitLand beginning its main operation. Bitland is partnered with Openledger which allows the company to secure its blockchain infrastructure.At the end state, the BitLand system provides the ability to reduce fraud and increase efficiency to the mortgage lending process. Banks cannot issue mortgages on land that is unregistered. The utilization of an open, decentralized, and transparent ledger will effectively unlock significant amounts of land to be used for equity purposes that previously could not be touched. In Africa, roughly ninety percent of rural areas are unlisted and unregistered. As the project in Ghana matures, we will look to expand the reach of BitLand across the African continent and abroad. By adding infrastructure in more developing countries, BitLand has the potential to unlock massive volumes of capital and resources.  

If these properties are unlisted and unregistered, what legal right would prevent big banks/government from stepping in and seizing everything under the premise that 'blockchain ledgers' aren't adequate proof of ownership? 

How does a blockchain ledger even 'unlock' previously untouchable land, if it is already unlisted & unregistered?


The Crowdsale

30 million Cadastrals were created in one block. 21 million Cadastrals will be sold during the ICO hosted by Crypto Currency Exchange Denmark(CCEDK). The remaining 9 million is allotted for distribution over 99 years for various purposes. At the completion of phase two of the crowd sale, all unsold Cadastrals will be added to the reserve and all purchased Cadastrals will be released for immediate trade. The funds raised will be apportioned directly to laying the operational infrastructure in Ghana. Future use of the token will be to register land titles, settle disputes, sell land, purchase property, and issue microloans for residential/commercial/industrial development. 20% of the network profit will be utilized to support the tokens on the open market. The Bitland reserve will hold multiple denominations of currencies, commodities, and will always keep a portion of currency from any country in which BitLand has a presence as part of the basket. Ghana is only the beginning.


These 'cadastrals' - who'd be accepting this crypto in exchange for selling all this 'unregistered' land?  Does this mean only Ghanaians, or those whom successfully gain citizenship can actually spend them on properties? Seems like the only real outcome here is that all funds raised will be used to manipulate the market price...

Apologies if this post seems a bit crass, but they are all legitimate questions - would love to hear a hypothetical use case.  The idea is brilliant, but seems like a project of such scale would require not only a team of developers, but a popular political party, a few regional militias - possibly an entire army, and some overseas construction companies....

Awaiting a response, thanks in advance Smiley




>The idea is brilliant

as you said so, the idea is brilliant. And this project is a pilot phase. Let dev team concentrate to make a good momentum to obtain more buy in world widely.

Go Bitland!!
hero member
Activity: 532
Merit: 500
Offer escrow, receive negative trust
After doing some research, there still does not seem to be any adequate proof as to how BitLand can solve the country's land registration issues.

Some reading:

Land Title Registration. The Ghanaian Experience
Registering Property in Ghana
ghana's land administration at a crossroads - Focus on Land
Creating Property Rights: Land Banks in Ghana

Now for the nitpicking (bear with me, no ill wishes here)


What is BitLand?

BitLand operates to address the problem of insecure land tenure, bring confidence of investment to emerging markets, and unlock land wealth stagnating due to inefficient legacy systems. The focus is on creating an effective virtual land registry utilizing blockchain technology, spearheading collaborative solution implementation, and jump starting a fully transparent ecosystem for all users. We aim to allow individuals and organizations to survey land, manage deeds and titles, perform applicable transactions, and then record the information on the blockchain.    



Care to explain...how?  Spearheading collaborative solution implementation? So...team building exercises?  Tongue Managing deeds and titles through a blockchain might not go by too well with people whom already have a system in place, not to mention when said system is corrupt and violent in many areas.

Why Ghana?

Land registration in Ghana has historically been cumbersome and disorganized. As a result, thousands of titles remain unregistered and land conflicts are rife. Of the 42,000 applications for land registration submitted between 1986 and 2006, less than 30 percent were registered. Land conflicts arise as claimants take advantage of the poorly coordinated system and register titles without other claimants’ knowledge. The adjudication system for conflicts is weak, courts are overwhelmed, and decisions are poorly enforced.

Since colonial times, Ghana’s land sector has suffered from splintered institutional functions and an underdeveloped land registration system. But, the government and international donors are beginning to address these challenges through legal reforms and more systematic land registration.

As of January 2011, several projects are seeking to strengthen the land sector in Ghana and formalize tenure. These include: the Government of Ghana’s Land Administration Project (LAP), which is supported by the World Bank; the Millennium Development Authority’s Land Tenure Facilitation Activity supported by the US; and private sector programs led by Medeem LLC as well as the Micro-Mortgage and Land Titling Project led by Opportunity International and International Land Systems (ILS).

Under the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), Ghana is implementing a pilot project in peri-urban Accra to title and register land. The ten-step process begins with a parcel inventory and involves verification by landowners, and a time for public scrutiny. It takes 31 days for 100 parcels and costs about $200-$250 per registered parcel. To date, MiDA has issued and registered 270 land titles using this process.

It is uncertain how the Government of Ghana would scale-up projects nationwide. Challenges persist in terms of making the process simple, efficient and cost effective for both landholders and land administration authorities. Unless the “costs” associated with land registration are sufficiently low vis-a-vis the benefits perceived by landholders, land registration records can rapidly become obsolete, jeopardizing the investments made to reform registration systems.

The Ghanaian government, World Bank, and other agencies have been battling the issue of insecure land tenure with limited to moderate success with collective focus since 2003. Phase I of the Land Administration Project ended in 2010 and Phase II is scheduled to run through 2017. Both phases of the project were/are plagued with the same issues as mentioned in the above excerpt. Although these efforts have been hampered, Ghana has posted exemplary GDP gains over the last decade while facing the identified problems.  

While this information is interesting, where does 'bitland' fit in to all of this, and how will it specifically solve these problems?  Emphasis on the 'specific' - How can Bitland solve these disputes better than the plan laid out by MiDA?


BitLand Ghana

BitLand Ghana is the home of the pilot program for BitLand. It is the NGO which has been operating in Kumasi, Ghana and the surrounding communities for the past 2 years. To date, it has completed public out-reach, crypto-currency/blockchain seminars, and land rights informational road-shows in 28 communities in preparation for the launch of BitLand beginning its main operation. Bitland is partnered with Openledger which allows the company to secure its blockchain infrastructure.At the end state, the BitLand system provides the ability to reduce fraud and increase efficiency to the mortgage lending process. Banks cannot issue mortgages on land that is unregistered. The utilization of an open, decentralized, and transparent ledger will effectively unlock significant amounts of land to be used for equity purposes that previously could not be touched. In Africa, roughly ninety percent of rural areas are unlisted and unregistered. As the project in Ghana matures, we will look to expand the reach of BitLand across the African continent and abroad. By adding infrastructure in more developing countries, BitLand has the potential to unlock massive volumes of capital and resources.  

If these properties are unlisted and unregistered, what legal right would prevent big banks/government from stepping in and seizing everything under the premise that 'blockchain ledgers' aren't adequate proof of ownership? 

How does a blockchain ledger even 'unlock' previously untouchable land, if it is already unlisted & unregistered?


The Crowdsale

30 million Cadastrals were created in one block. 21 million Cadastrals will be sold during the ICO hosted by Crypto Currency Exchange Denmark(CCEDK). The remaining 9 million is allotted for distribution over 99 years for various purposes. At the completion of phase two of the crowd sale, all unsold Cadastrals will be added to the reserve and all purchased Cadastrals will be released for immediate trade. The funds raised will be apportioned directly to laying the operational infrastructure in Ghana. Future use of the token will be to register land titles, settle disputes, sell land, purchase property, and issue microloans for residential/commercial/industrial development. 20% of the network profit will be utilized to support the tokens on the open market. The Bitland reserve will hold multiple denominations of currencies, commodities, and will always keep a portion of currency from any country in which BitLand has a presence as part of the basket. Ghana is only the beginning.


These 'cadastrals' - who'd be accepting this crypto in exchange for selling all this 'unregistered' land?  Does this mean only Ghanaians, or those whom successfully gain citizenship can actually spend them on properties? Seems like the only real outcome here is that all funds raised will be used to manipulate the market price...

Apologies if this post seems a bit crass, but they are all legitimate questions - would love to hear a hypothetical use case.  The idea is brilliant, but seems like a project of such scale would require not only a team of developers, but a popular political party, a few regional militias - possibly an entire army, and some overseas construction companies....

Awaiting a response, thanks in advance Smiley


sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
Don't know who Carlos Moreira is?

https://www.weforum.org/people/carlos-moreira/

yes...former CSO of the UN was helping Bitland convince a government to transition to blockchain tech...


The entire global rhetoric about blockchain is about to change...

sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160916005594/en/WISeKey-Launch-Blockchain-Center-Excellence-Mauritius-Develop


who convinced an entire government to implement blockchain tech across the board?

this guy...

 Cool


(and friends like Carlos Moreira)

"Finally, Mr. Larry Christopher Bates, Chief Security Officer and President of Bitland Global, suggested that Mauritius can become the “Blockchain Valley” through the advent of a cyber-security Hague for international data-houses. He maintained that this will inevitably contribute to economic growth.

Blockchain as a technology is here to stay. The onus remains on us to harness its advantages and leverage them for the benefit of Mauritian businesses, consumers and the Government. In addition, Blockchain KYC’s efficiencies and cryptographic protocols deliver stronger security and faster compliance with reduced operating costs."



so...who is doubting bitland now?
newbie
Activity: 6
Merit: 0
It's nice to see that things move forward.
Did you find a solution about bringing the Internet inside any bitland offices ?
legendary
Activity: 1358
Merit: 1001
Is the ico started or over? And where is the escrow address? You guys made this op in April, but now where to trade if ico ended?

I think you can buy cheap cadastrals at bitshares.openledger .
full member
Activity: 172
Merit: 100
Is the ico started or over? And where is the escrow address? You guys made this op in April, but now where to trade if ico ended?
hero member
Activity: 814
Merit: 1000
i swear to christ, i am flying to fucking mauritius to meet with the government, and all you guys can talk about is openledger...

can you see why i get frustrated with this place?

I understand your frustration. But also remember that there are also investors / supporters here!

I myself find Bitland one of the most interesting blockchain applications I have seen!
newbie
Activity: 51
Merit: 0
Wow! That's gonna be a helluva trip. Very cool.
sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
Pl note that there would be a round table with representatives from the BOI by the National Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBCtv) at 18.30 on Friday the 16th Sept just after the working session with the Entrepreneurs. The following 5 speakers will be at the round table:
 
1.       Sébastien Couture, Co-Founder Stratumn

2.       Carlos Creus Moreira, Chairman, CEO & Founder of WISeKey SA

3.       Anuj Das Gupta, Head of Research at Stratumn

4.       Primavera de Fillippi, Researcher at CNRS, Paris

5.       Larry Christopher Bates, Chief Security Officer & President of Bitland Global
sr. member
Activity: 420
Merit: 250
The Board of Investment (BOI) is pleased to inform you about the holding of a one-day seminar on Blockchain Technology on Thursday, 15th September 2016 from 09: 00 hrs to 18: 30 hrs in the Conference Hall, 1st Floor Cyber Tower 1, Ebène Cybercity.

Following the seminar, a working session with young entrepreneurs on how to take advantage of Blockchain technology is scheduled on 16th September, 2016 at 16:30 hours at BOI.

Blockchain is increasingly being acclaimed as one of the most promising and valuable technologies that will shape the future because of its capacity to deliver high-quality and reliable information to a widening group of interested parties.

The focus of the seminar and working session is to create awareness about Blockchain technology and its potential applications. Opportunities and benefits associated with the adoption of the technology will also be the subject of discussions.

Both events will see the participation of renowned international speakers, namely Ms Primavera de Fillippi (Researcher at CNRS, Paris), Mr. Sébastien Couture (Co-Founder of Stratumn), Mr. Carlos Creus Moreira (Chairman, CEO & Founder of WISeKey SA), Mr. Anuj Das Gupta (Head of Research at Stratumn), & Mr. Larry Christopher Bates (Chief Security Officer & President of Bitland Global), who will be intervening on key topics:

Demystifying Blockchain
Developing the Blockchain ecosystem
Regulatory framework in the Blockchain Age
Potential application of Blockchain
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