The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), under the Housing Ministry, has signed a $202,918,000 million dollar contract for the development and implementation of the information technology solution for a single window application system. The contract, which was awarded to Global Services Inc., was signed on Wednesday at the CHPA’s Boardroom, Brickdam, Georgetown.
This new, modern technology application system will now allow the CHPA to act as a single point of entry for all planning and development applications. It will also allow members of the public to efficiently access services and track the process of their applications electronically.
The single window system is expected to be fully implemented by June 2023.
Minister within the Housing Ministry, Susan Rodrigues stated that this project is one that will transform and ease the way business is conducted in Guyana.
“This is truly a transformational project/initiative, a solution for the ease of doing business in Guyana…this IT platform, followed by the legislation that will be passed…will allow for a single window for planning and building permits…this tremendously eases the process of doing business,” Rodrigues remarked.
This initiative she added, removes any bias and subjectivity from the system, allowing Guyanese or investors across the diaspora to access the necessary permits and documents in a specified amount of time.
“Whether it is approved or…it is denied, at least you will have the certainty of knowing that your application will be responded to,” Rodrigues explained.
Meanwhile, Housing Minister, Collin Croal has expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of this project. He stated that the contract is being awarded to a consortium of companies, based in Guyana, North America, and the United Arab Emirates.
“This is what consortium brings to the brings to the table, they all bring with them different aspects of experience that will allow both from the technological…side as well as…ensuring that we can deal with the interactive part in terms of members of the public,” Croal Shared.
Earlier this month, the Planning and Development Single Window System Bill of 2022 was presented in the National Assembly.
The bill caters for the establishment of a single window electronic processing system to increase business efficiency, as the housing and construction industries are expanding rapidly.
It also seeks to provide for the establishment of the Planning Oversight Committee, to define the functions of the committee, to centralise functions relating to land use preparation and development and for matters associated to it.
Back in October, Minister Croal highlighted that the government acknowledged the increased demands for building permits and other services by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) and Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).
Once the legislation is in place, it will, among other things, standardise application forms and checklists, as well as drastically cut down on the time needed to complete a transaction.
The Ministry will also transition from paper-based to computerised records.
The implementation of the single window system forms part of the government’s efforts to create a business-friendly environment and improve the ease of doing business, through an electrical portal that allows investors to submit planning and building permits, and check the status of the permits from anywhere in the world.
