M inister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Daryl Vaz, says that the measures and system introduced to improve the turnaround time for approving development applications are showing positive results.

Vaz told developers and their guests attending Thursday’s JDA Pre-Christmas luncheon at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston that the government has been giving the subject “focused attention” and the measures are working.

“The 90-day turnaround time is only a marker. I am advised by NEPA, that the turnaround time for 70 per cent of the applications received is completed within 70-90 days, and those not completed are due to a number of factors, among them poor presentation,” the minister explained.

“The fact that complaints from both our citizens and investors have decreased, means that the systems and measures put in place are working,” he told the luncheon.

The development application approval process has been a major issue for local developers over the years, and Vaz said that he has been working with the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, the municipal corporations and NEPA (the National Environment and Planning Agency) to ensure that the applications are turned around in record time.

“The National Housing Trust has been a critical player in the discussions. The Trust has been engaging the municipal corporations to establish service-level agreements to improve the efficiency of the building approval process, to include the reduction in approval timelines,” he explained.

He said that in recent times major investment projects in energy, bauxite, housing, marine – inclusive of port and harbour developments – hotel construction/hospitality, mining, highway developments and many others, have been efficiently handled by the approval agencies.

Turning to the issue of developers’ submission of electronic drawings, he noted that the developers have been insisting that that process is too costly. However, he assured them that under the action plan to modernise the process, considerations have been made for electronic submission of the applications.

“As a matter of fact, the pilot implementation of the AMANDA Public Portal 11 in three municipal corporations – Kingston, St Ann and St James – is underway. This will allow for the electronic submission of applications,” he stated.

He said that already clients are going online to view applications submitted locally, in some instances.

“This is consistent with the present modernisation thrust, but the process requires several inputs which are now being reviewed,” he pointed out.

Vaz said, however, that notwithstanding that development, some applications are required to be referred to other agencies, which may require a hard copy. The municipal corporations will send them in the interest of the application within the required timeline.

Vaz, who was dealing with issues the JDA has been complaining about over the years, also extended an invitation to JDA members to join him and the relevant government agencies at the table in the new year for a multi-government agency approach to resolving them.

“Housing for all strata of our society is key to their feeling of belonging and personal accomplishment, not only for their generation, but as an investment to pass on to the next generation,” he said.

“I will emphasise that housing is also one of the quickest means of job creation and growing our economy, therefore keen attention must be paid to your issues,” he stated.

He said that the government is prepared to put in the hard work, as it believes in partnerships and will work with the JDA and other organisations to create the sustainable growth, development and prosperity that the country demands.