This report describes the current status of work on the Development Approval Project. It outlines the activities undertaken since August 1998, identifies recommended priorities for the coming year and it highlights matters pertinent to the further implementation of the Project.

Whilst this report is intended primarily for use of members of the Project Steering Committee, the content is likely to be of interest to a wider audience and therefore more extensive distribution of the report is recommended.

Development Approval Project Objective

The project objectives are to:

• Reduce the processing time for development approvals from prevailing level to a maximum of 90 calendar days.
• Establish an information system that is capable of informing the public of the status of development approvals at any point in time.
• Produce relevant manuals to inform the public about the approval processes.

Background to the Development Approval Project Objective

The Investment Facilitation Board in mid-1995 concluded that the lengthy processing time for development and sub-division approval was a major disincentive to investment. There was concern that such delay impacts negatively on the Government's development strategy, which sees investment as central to the growth and development of the country.

Consequently, the management consultants, Coopers and Lybrand, were contracted to conduct a study of the development and subdivision approval processes. The study made a number of recommendations and proposed that the recommendations be implemented by way of a project, utilizing the services of a Change Management Expert.

A Cabinet Submission was presented to Cabinet seeking approval for the implementation of the Coopers and Lybrand study recommendations by means of a Project. Cabinet on September 22, 1997 considered the submission and gave approval in principle. A Change Management Expert, Galba Bright, was engaged in August 1998 to work with the ARA Consulting Group in the first instance to develop the operational plan and to implement it thereafter.

Development of Long-Term Implementation Plan

By August 1998 the problems in the subdivision and development approval system had become endemic. At that time there was a backlog of at least 1500 subdivision applications. When the project commenced, it was not possible to reliably estimate the average time taken to process applications. It was subsequently discovered that some applications had been lodged over five years ago.

In October 1998, following extensive consultations with the various development approval bodies, the consultants produced a short-term plan for a streamlined development approval process. The report consisted of a series of "quick fix" initiatives directed at Parish Councils, KSAC, the Town Planning Department and other Ministries and Agencies involved in reviewing subdivision and development applications. Implementation of the reforms commenced immediately.

In October 1998 the Project received additional impetus following the Prime Minister's announcement, in a speech to the nation, of a ninety-day target for application decisions. The Prime Minister made a corresponding announcement in Parliament in November 1998. The Long Term Plan Report for the Implementation of a Streamlined Development Approval Process was completed in December 1998. It contained a comprehensive action plan for the achievement of the ninety-day development approval processing target. The consultants stressed the need to take concerted action in the following four areas:

• Implementing improvements in administrative procedures;
• Securing additional staff, equipment and training resources in exceptional cases;
• Enacting legislative changes; and
• Effecting changes in workplace culture.

The Report recommended a series of time targets for the assessment of applications by the various development approval agencies to ensure that the 90-day approval processing target is achieved. The Project Steering Committee and the Investment Facilitation Board accepted the Report. Implementation of the Report's recommendations commenced immediately.

Role of the Ministry of Commerce, Science and Technology

The Ministry of Industry and Investment Ministry Paper "Priority Investment and Business Facilitation Measures" was presented to Parliament in February 1999. Included within the document was the commitment to establish a Business Approvals Facilitation Unit in JAMPRO. The Change Management Consultant works closely with JAMPRO in this respect.

The Impact of Ministry of Environment and Housing Ministry Paper No. 7

The Ministry Paper was presented to Parliament in March 1999. It elaborated the principles contained in the Long Term Plan Report. Significantly, the Ministry Paper provided detailed guidance on the monitoring framework necessary to ensure that the 90-day target was achieved. Implementation of Ministry Papery No. 7 is an integral part of the Development Approval Project.

The Ministry of Environment and Housing (MEH) has the overall "ownership" of the development approval process. Specifically, MEH is required to collect monitoring information on the development approval bodies' achievement of the 90 day approval processing target. The Physical Planning Division is the lead Ministry Department. The Town Planning Department must provide information to MEH regarding outstanding applications. In addition, the Town Planning Department will make recommendations on applications where one or more commenting agency fails to provide recommendations within the agreed timeframe.

MEH will report to the Minister of Environment and Housing, and the Minister in turn will provide regular reports to the Development Council. The Development Council will take decisions on applications that are outstanding. The detailed breakdown of the 90-day target outlined in Ministry Paper No. 7 is shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Maximum Time Allocations Necessary to Achieve a 90-Day Assessment Process

KSAC/Parish Council/Local Planning Authority sends completed application to Town Planning Department.	2 weeks (This period is not included in the 90-day calculation)
Town Planning Department receives completed application from Parish Council/KSAC/Local Planning Authority and sends application to critical commenting agencies.	2 weeks (The 90-day target commences from the time when a completed application is received by the Town Planning Department)
Commenting agencies assess application and make recommendation to Town Planning Department.	3 weeks
If applicable Town Planning Department takes application to the Subdivision Committee or takes a decision on the application.	2 weeks
Town Planning Department advises Parish Council/KSAC/Local Planning Authority of its recommendation and advises Ministry of Environment and Housing of outstanding applications.	1 week
KSAC/Parish Council/Local Planning Authority makes a determination on the application and advises the applicant.	4 weeks

Business Facilitation Trade Up and Running

On January 18th 2000, the Business Facilitation Training Course - "Cutting the Bureaucratic Red Tape" - was launched by the Honourable Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Right Honourable P. J. Patterson, QC, PC, MP. Workers, including managers, are trained one day a week for five consecutive weeks. The first course commenced on January 21, 2000. The course will be run eight times this year. Two hundred (200) individuals will be trained. In 2001, another two hundred (200) workers will receive training.

Training for Changing Times

We operate in an intensely competitive global market for investment. To attract and retain the domestic and overseas investment necessary to secure economic growth we must have an aware, skilled and committed workforce.

The "Cutting the Bureaucratic Red Tape" Training Course ensures that staff in Government bodies involved in business approval work are aware of the importance of business facilitation. They will use their enhanced process improvement, teambuilding, managing change and customer service skills to provide an excellent service to businesses and investors.

The Business Facilitation Family

The new training course is one of several business facilitation initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Industry and Investment.

These projects seek to provide a more investor friendly framework for businesses.

With the exception of the Business Roadmap project, which is in an ad-vanced planning stage, all the other projects are being implemented.

Updates on these projects will be provided in future issues of this bulletin.

Contacts for Business Facilitation Training

• Mrs. Cheryl De Shields

  Director, Jampro Business Approvals Unit.
  For training course bookings.
  

  Telephone 929-2875

• Mr. Galba Bright,

  Change Management Consultant,
  Development Approval and Business Facilitation Project.
  For queries about Business Facilitation projects generally.
  

  Telephone 926-7933

• Mrs. Paulette Jumpp-Barnaby

  Programme Director, MIND
  For enquiries about the training course programmes.
  

  Telephone 927-1761/2

CONCLUSION

Perhaps the most important achievement of the Project so far has been to dispel the previously widely held conviction that an improvement in the development approval process was impossible.

There are elements of significant improvements in the processing of applications by certain organizations, although much still needs to be done. During the coming year it is of critical importance that the required legislative change is expedited. Improvements in administrative efficiency cannot disguise an inappropriate or restrictive legal framework.

During discussions between the Ministry of Environment and Housing and the Ministry of Industry and Investment, it was agreed that the scope of work should be extended to include the streamlining of approval processes related to setting up and operating a business as it had become clear that the current procedures were a disincentive to investment and economic development.

Many development approval bodies have successfully reduced their processing time. They have also streamlined their procedures.

Many improvements have been achieved through the more effective use of existing staff and equipment.

However, there are critical resource shortages that are hampering progress, for example many local planning authorities need additional planning staff and the Town Planning Department urgently needs an enhanced computerized application tracking system.

Subsequent reports will be publicized within the Ministries and Agencies, the development community and the public.