Speech

Opening Remarks by Karen Hilliard, Mission Director, at the Developers Planning Forum

The road to achieving an improved, efficient and transparent Development Approvals Process

 | Monday, August 18, 2008

Mr. Chairman, Mr. Anthony Chang, The Honorable Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica, our invited guests at the head table, other distinguished guest, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen…good morning.

I am very pleased to be at this forum of the “Development Approval Process Project” under the theme “Towards a Better Jamaica: Rethinking Land Use Planning to Maximize Economic Development, Urban Sustainability & Quality of Life for All.”  This forum marks another important step in Jamaica’s efforts to strengthen its attractiveness as a preferred place to do business.

USAID’s support to development in Jamaica is based on a broad range of programs designed to benefit all Jamaicans, such as improving the business environment to encourage investment, anti-corruption, natural resource management, private and public sector development, health and education.

In this instance USAID is proud to partner with the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Government of Jamaica on this innovative project, which brings together the private and public sectors to implement activities to improve the business environment in Jamaica.

It is gratifying to note that USAID directly supported the earlier phases of this project which have allowed us to get to this point.  Previously, USAID provided $300,000 to assist the JCC to produce the Development and Investment Manual. This documents, for the first time in Jamaica, the critical processes currently involved in Development Approvals. As such it serves as a valuable road map to help investors and developers wend their way through the Development Approval Process; yet what is really needed is not a road map but a new super highway to prosperity.  In short, this process still needs to be streamlined, made more transparent and user-friendly.  To this end, USAID has invested an additional $600,000 to support this process.

This is why we are here today – to receive expert opinion from three distinguished guest presenters who have experienced conditions similar to  those currently extant in Jamaica; to hear their recommendations and proposed solutions. We will also garner more information on proven methodologies and approaches, while assessing their applicability to our situation here in Jamaica, yet ever mindful of the standards that will ultimately allow Jamaica to compete globally.

Specifically, the “Legs and Regs” Development Approval Process Project, through its ongoing stakeholder consultations, recognizes the need for the country’s planning regulations and guidelines to be updated, completed and implemented.

I am advised by the Project’s chairman, Anthony Chang, that it is hoped that the goal of today’s activity is to engender more formal dialogue and participation in working groups aimed at shaping a policy environment that fosters proper land use, infrastructure and urban development. Hence, ensuring that Jamaica will move toward a path of sustainability as it strives for increased investments.  

Looking around the room today, it is reassuring to see that representatives from many of the stakeholder and partner organizations and agencies are participating in this planning forum.  I have faith that the objective identified by Mr. Chang will be realized.  I wish to take this opportunity to personally encourage the stakeholders involved in the Development Approvals Process to work with the project team toward achieving an improved, efficient and transparent Approvals Process.