–Guyana launches electronic planning and development single-window system
–can now be ranked in Top Ten for construction permits, President Ali says

DIGITALLY refining the way business is conducted in Guyana, the Ministry of Housing and Water and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Wednesday launched their Electronic Planning and Development Single-Window System.
The ‘rule-based’ system, according to the country’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali will increase efficiency and transparency in the decision making of applications with a single point of entry.
“The new system aims to centralise and simplify the approval process, by providing a one-stop shop for all development-related permission and clearance,” the Head of State told a large gathering of stakeholders during the launching at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
Simply explained, persons looking to conduct business in Guyana can access the relevant information and agencies at a single point of entry. There, applicants can submit, monitor, and track the progress of their applications.
In an effort to enhance efficiency and transparency, the process will be subject to specific deadlines to ensure the timely processing of applications.

As Guyana’s economy continues to experience rapid growth, especially in the construction sector, this system will eliminate human biases, and establish a centralised platform for permissions and claims.
“Guyana’s economy is expanding in a global way, so we have people from almost every corner of the world participating in our economy now, and our system must take this into account… It has taken away the human biases, and is making it a more rule- based system; and that that is how we want the country to run. The system must work; the system must be ruled-based. The system must be trusted; the system must be efficient,” the Head of State explained.

TRANSPARENT, EFFICIENT, AND INVESTOR-FRIENDLY
The expected outcome will now be more transparent, efficient, and investor-friendly to help accelerate development, and attract more investments, ultimately contributing to Guyana’s economic growth.
“This definitely has to put us in the top ten when to comes to permitting; when it comes to construction. This is innovation at its finest,” President Ali said, noting that the system will be transferrable to all countries in the region.

“This entire platform is meant to be transferable to all countries within this region, so that we all can improve our doing- business indicators, and enhance competitiveness and transparency. We are ready to export this homegrown, homemade.”
The Single-Window System Act was introduced and approved in the National Assembly prior to Wednesday’s launch. Furthermore, a number of consultation exercises were carried out with stakeholders.
The President stressed that the legislation had to be ‘specially crafted’ to capture policies, and bring together hundreds of different laws, bylaws, and regulations under one umbrella.
This legislation includes provisions for the establishment of a Planning Oversight Committee, which will centralise functions related to land-use preparation and development. It is also intended to define the Committee’s responsibilities and associated matters.
Several agencies will become part of the single window. This includes the Central Board of Health, the Ministry of Public Works, River and Defence Board, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Guyana Fire Service, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, the National Trust of Guyana, the Guyana Office for Investment, Land and Deeds Registry, Guyana Water Incorporated, all Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and the local authorities, inclusive of the municipalities, among other agencies.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water Susan Rodrigues said the launch of the system signifies the government’s commitment to modernising and enhancing the delivery of services.
“With the increased development and application volume, the move to introduce a more automated process becomes a necessity. We are committed to ensuring we introduce e-governance platforms to promote transparency and accountability,” the Minister said.
She also reiterated that the system will remove any and all forms of biases, thereby demonstrating a commitment to fairness.
“The use of technology and timeframes prescribed by law completely removes any form of subjectivity, and even reduces opportunities,” Minister Rodrigues added.

It was noted by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) that in 2020, the country had over $US1 billion worth of private sector investment stymied for over a year because of slow processes and non-approval through the various agencies.
Minister Rodrigues has stated that during the period from October 2020 to May 2024, the CH&PA assessed a total of over 3000 planning permission applications, with more than 100 of them specifically targetting the oil-and-gas sector.