THE Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) is moving to cut the time it takes to process building applications from 90 days to 60 days.

Kingston Mayor Angella Brown Burke told the Jamaica Observer last Tuesday that the KSAC and other government agencies involved in the process were simultaneously reviewing data to determine how to achieve the reduction.

Recalling the complaints being made by developers three years ago about the protracted time it took for building applications to be approved by the KSAC, Brown Burke told Tuesday’s council meeting that she was proud that the building committee had been able to speed up the process.

“Today we can recognise that $30 billion worth of building developments have been unleashed by the building approvals. By doing this we are making it possible for thousands of jobs and for houses and communities to be improved,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, Brown Burke told the council meeting that by the first quarter of the 2016/2017 financial year colour coded signs indicating building breaches will be installed by the KSAC on offending developments.

She said that public education would be done before the measure is implemented.

Meanwhile, the council meeting passed a resolution for the keys to the city to be presented to grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie, Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie, when he comes to Jamaica later this month for the launch of the Rastafari Cultural Heritage Centre at the Trench Town Multi-Purpose Centre.

The celebrations at the centre were expected to start yesterday and will end on April 25.

The resolution was moved and seconded by People’s National Party Councillor Venesha Phillips (Papine Division) and Councillor Eugene Kelly, respectively.

— Claudienne Edwards