National planning authority coming

WORK to establish a national planning authority to assist in land development could begin within the next three months. Planning Ministry acting deputy permanent secretary Marie Hinds expressed this optimism during a virtual meeting with members of the Finance and Legal Affairs joint select committee (JSC) on Friday.

The meeting was held to discuss the planning, facilitation and development act 2014 which is still to be proclaimed into law. Responding to a question from Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, Hinds explained that the structure for the authority has been developed and the ministry hoped to begin the process to staff it within the next three months.

She said once the legislation is fully proclaimed, it would allow for certain applications for land use to be handled by local government corporations. Hinds explained these were applications like "you want to build your own house" and no certificate of environmental clearance is needed.

Deyalsingh observed that some of these developments were part of local government reform. Hinds replied that the Rural and Local Government Ministry is working as hard as it can to ensure that local government corporations would be able to handle the types of land development envisaged under the legislation.

She also said the ministry has been talking with the Tobago House of Assembly(THA), since it may be doing a similar function to local government corporations. Responding to another question from Deyalsingh, Hinds said the 2014 legislation has been reviewed with fresh eyes, some amendments were made and it is "still fit for purpose." She added the passage of the Urban Regional Planners Act last January was important because the professionals covered under this legislation play important roles in land development.

JSC chairman Hazel Thompson-Ahye observed that although the bill has not been proclaimed into law for the last seven years "there is hope on the horizon". She hoped the ministry would seek the help of people who have walked this road before to "avoid the potholes". Thompson-Ahye observed that many citizens may not be aware that just because legislation is passed in Parliament, it does not automatically become law.

She explained the reasons for this could be provisions in pieces of legislation which led to it being proclaimed in parts or as a whole, after a certain time or once certain things happen.