PILOT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE CENTRE TO IMPROVE DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL PROCESS

March 30, 2010

PILOT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE CENTRE TO IMPROVE DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL PROCESS

Mayors and Secretary Managers were yesterday (March 29) sensitized on the implementation of a pilot Development Assistance Centre (DAC) within the National Environmental Planning Agency (NEPA) which is aimed at improving the development approval process, advancing the standard and delivery of service to clients and the expeditious processing of planning applications.

Minister with responsibility for Information, Daryl Vaz, who spoke at the Sensitization Presentation at Jamaica House, said the presentation is part of the Government's ongoing efforts to address the modernization of the development applications approval process.

"It marks the culmination of over a year of hard dedicated efforts on the part of the public and private sector partners to establish a Pilot DAC within NEPA. The Centre will be officially opened within the next few weeks and its success will require your support" Minister Vaz told the mayors and secretary managers.

He said the current development application approval process has been criticized as being inefficient in terms of the time taken to process the applications. It is reported to be costly to both applicant and Government due to the winding route of the applications and the involvement of numerous agencies.

The pilot DAC was conceived within a conceptual framework proposal for the development of a ‘One Stop Shop' for processing development applications. It was presented to the Government of Jamaica in 2008 by

the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and "Legs and Regs" Project Team.

The DAC will ensure that the applications received by the local authorities/NEPA, reflect accurate and adequate information, resulting in the smooth processing and a decision made within the ninety day period as specified by the law.