Guyana is seeking to transition to a single-window planning permit system to create a more business- friendly environment and easing the pressures that entrepreneurs face when starting up businesses.

The system is being designed to increase timeliness of approvals & reduce redundancy in the process.

Using an electronic-based documentation system will reduce time for steps that must be followed for transactions, filling the standardised application forms and meeting the checklist and processing time.

In this regard, the government is seeking to enact legislation by year-end to facilitate this process.

Susan Rodrigues, minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, who made the announcement, explained that “the Government has recognised the need to introduce a far more automated process that streamlines workflow both within the CHPA (Central Housing and Planning Authority) and with stakeholder agencies that are part of the overall approval process”.

The minister added that “the goal is to have an integrated electronic permitting system where the agencies will no longer operate as silos but rather within an integrated mix of processes that take place concurrently”.

STEPS BEING PURSUED TO ENSURE SYSTEM RUNS SMOOTHLY

With this initiative, the stakeholders from the various agencies involved in the approval process will be able to keep updated with the progress of the application rather than having the applicant go from agency to agency.

The consultant overseeing the implementation of the new system, Fareed Amin said several steps are being pursued to ensure that the system runs smoothly. He advised that a committee is being considered to head the initiative and overlook its effectiveness.

The work is now in the developmental phase and therefore several consultations for improved information technology solutions and recommendations on how the system can be improved are being held before it is presented to the Guyana’s National Assembly.