THE EDITOR, Sir:

I have noted the outcry from the Opposition People's National Party to the prime minister moving the portfolio responsibility for Land and Environment to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). However, as a professional involved in the construction and development sector I would like to applaud this very positive move.

From his time as Leader of the Opposition, Mr Golding had consultations with the construction and development sector, championing the cause of expediting the development approval process and seriously containing the squatter phenomenon.

Subsequent to becoming prime minister, these consultations intensified with the request from him for recommendations for government actions and legislative changes which would make development process more efficient. He has also charged the various professionals to make procedural changes that make the process efficient. The architects have made adaptation of the International Building Code to fit the Jamaican standards and other professionals are well advanced with their codes.

strident opposition

However, all this good work has been met by strident opposition from the environmental groups who have opined that any speeding up of the approval process would be to the detriment of proper environment protection.

We are aware that there is a minister in the OPM who is responsible for development. Therefore, if these fundamental changes to the processing of development are to be made efficiently, it would seem prudent to have Development, Land and Environment under one umbrella. In so doing, all the concerns of varying groups can be addressed and the process implemented expeditiously.

However, while the prime minister should be commended on this project, which would impact positively on employment, and social and economic activity, I would implore that he does not forget the ordinary person who would like to subdivide his land to give a child a piece in order to access a National Housing Trust benefit, or to assist with his grandchild's tertiary education.

These small subdivisions are taking two to three years to approve, or are not approved due to strident conditions (sometimes unreasonable) being imposed by National Environment and Planning Agency, Ministry of Health and National Works Agency (NWA) or just plain inefficiency.

proper consideration needed

Just as how large developments are being facilitated in getting their projects expedited and having major savings on government fees by bringing these lands under the Housing Act, proper considerations must be made for these small subdivisions.

It makes no sense for these small developments to be turned down by the NWA because of a no multiple access to public road policy (especially when no traffic hazard is posed) or because a turning bay of 50 feet is required for a simple access road. This only makes economic and social hardship for the applicant without any planning or environment benefits to the country.

Mr Prime Minister, if these ordinary folk's efforts to be self-reliant are being stymied by unreasonable stipulations by government agencies, which large projects are being facilitated by other government agencies, and inner-city housing is being provided and subsidised by Government, it would not be unreasonable for them to wait on government assistance. Or worse, decide that it would be prudent to squat on government lands, and wait on their member of parliament to make supplication on their behalf.

As I commended the prime minister earlier on his bold move to tackle the inefficiency in the development approval process and the scourge of squatting, I humbly ask that he look into the processing of small subdivisions to assist ordinary folks to be self-reliant and make small economic, social and educational gains.

I am, etc.,

AINSWORTH DICK

Kingston