Single-window permit, licensing system sees progress

-AG heads legislative team

-incentive for investors

-system to see electronic upgrade

The government has made progress on the implementation of a single-window approval system to grant construction permits and licences.

This was revealed by Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal during Friday’s Budget debates. 

The initiative focuses on three facets: time efficiency, conversion to an electronic system, and the construction and upgrading of infrastructure to accommodate the system.

“The intention is to reduce the processing time to under one month. Work has already started internally at the Ministry. The ease of doing business is one of the elements for attracting both domestic and internal investors to the local economy,” the Minister said.

Currently, applications for these two services go through a lengthy procedure involving the Central Housing and Planning Authority, the Guyana Fire Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Central Board of Health, and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, among other stakeholders.

Works are underway to ensure the applications pass through one entity which will undertake the relevant assessments in an electronic process.

Given that the system requires legislative change, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall is leading a committee “to ensure that the necessary software is put into place,” Minister Croal said.