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EGC Finalising Proposal to Cut Development Approvals Timeline

By: , May 2, 2017

The Key Point:

The Economic Growth Council (EGC) is finalising a proposal for submission to the Government, which is aimed at significantly reducing the timeline of the development approvals process to as little as 90 days.

The Facts

  • Mr. Hart, who was speaking at the presentation of the EGC’s second quarterly report at the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Mona, St. Andrew, on April 27, said the objective is to streamline the process, thereby speeding up approvals.

The Full Story

The Economic Growth Council (EGC) is finalising a proposal for submission to the Government, which is aimed at significantly reducing the timeline of the development approvals process to as little as 90 days.

Council member, Hugh Hart, said that a special subcommittee is working to complete the document to enable the Council’s central body to make a submission to the Administration within two weeks.

Mr. Hart, who was speaking at the presentation of the EGC’s second quarterly report at the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Mona, St. Andrew, on April 27, said the objective is to streamline the process, thereby speeding up approvals.

“Developments are (part of the) engine of growth (and) job creation and we are seeking to put a limit of 90 days from the date that one makes an application to the date that one gets approval. We have given a great deal of consideration to this and there, frankly, is no reason why this cannot be done,” he pointed out.

Underscoring the importance of the engagement, Mr. Hart said there is a “blockage” in the development approvals process, noting that there are a myriad of agencies to which applications have to be submitted.

He said one developer had earmarked a two-year timeline within which to secure approval from the relevant agencies for a housing project. “It’s taking far too long…that has got to change”, the EGC member stressed.

“We believe that once we can unblock that pipeline and speed it up, (then) the ability to grow and unleash all of the potential that is being locked up and attaining the target of five (per cent growth) in four years… or five in three (or) five in two, will become a possibility, impacting the entire economy of the country,” he said.

Last Updated: May 2, 2017

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