PRIME Minister Andrew Holness says there has been a concerted attempt by “many with political motives” to spread misinformation regarding the environment and climate change work his Administration has undertaken, locally and internationally.

“It is my firm view that any objective assessment will show that this is the ‘greenest Government’ since independence,” the prime minister told the House of Representatives in his contribution to the annual budget debate last Thursday.

“I have said previously and will reiterate here today, sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved on the back of environmental degradation, and no inclusive prosperity can be steeped in pollution,” Holness reminded his audience.

“I am sure it is known that I am a builder. I come from the school of putting one block on top of the other, and creating great things. I am pro-development. My wife is a developer and I have interests in development. It is a sign of great confidence in any government and economy, especially during a downturn, to see cranes hoisting in our cities. It represents renewal and modernity. We must be careful not to stifle this very transformational force for our economic development,” he said.

He noted, however, that he believes in orderly development, and announced that the Town and Country Planning Authority, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the municipal corporations have worked together to prepare new Parish Development Orders.

“Each parish is now covered by at least a provisional development order. Nevertheless, I believe we can all admit that there is a concerted level of disorder in development in Jamaica. If the transformation of our skyline, business districts and residential communities is to be sustainable and aesthetically pleasing, then it cannot be done in a disorderly way,” he added.

Holness also noted that there are developers who are non-compliant, “and while we make no comment on matters before the court or matters decided on, the Government takes careful note of the issues raised”.

He said that a common theme is lack of monitoring, inspection and enforcement, and following discussions with both the head of NEPA and the mayor of Kingston, the number of officers will be increased and various technological solutions employed to improve monitoring, inspection and enforcement.

He said that, aside from improving the coordination among the various development regulatory agencies, the amendment of the 1957 Town and Country Planning Act will be fast-tracked, with particular focus on improving efficiency and effectiveness of the approval process, the enforcement process, and the process of consultation with the public in the local area in which the development is taking place.

“The Town and Country Planning Act is effected through the creation of various gazetted legal documents, called Development Orders, which is public notice of the Government’s policy intent and direction on permissible parameters, form and function of development in a parish or in a particular area of a parish,” he said.

However, he said that there needs to be greater clarity and tightening of gaps in legislation governing development, particularly the approval process, and there needs to be greater coordination and collaboration between the various agencies and arms of government.