BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, January 24, 2018 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has taken measures to improve the efficiency of the Development Control and Planning Board by increasing the composition of the board from nine to 13 members.
This was done when the Development Control and Planning (Amendment) Act, 2018, was passed into law during Tuesday’s (January 23rd) Sitting of the National Assembly.
The Development Control and Planning Act makes provisions for the orderly and progressive development of land in both urban and rural areas and for the protection of the environment and improvement of the amenities thereof and provides for the grant of permission to develop land and for other powers of control over the use of land in St. Kitts.
Prime Minister and Minister with responsibility for Sustainable Development, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, said the amendments made to the Act will allow for greater administrative efficiency in the work of the Development Control and Planning Board, and the effectiveness in the delivery of its mandate.
Under the revised legislation, the Development Control and Planning Board maintains its nine ex-officio members, but will see the addition of four persons not drawn from the public service.
The ex-officio members of the board comprise the Director of Physical Planning or the Chief Physical Planner; the Chief Environmental Health Officer or his representative; the Chief Technical Officer/Director of Lands and Surveys; the Director of Public Works Department or his representative; the Director of Environment or Senior Officer Responsible for Environment; Manager of Water Department or a water engineer; the General Manager of the St. Kitts Electricity Corporation or his representative; the Commissioner of Police or his representative; and the Chief Fire Officer or his representative.
“There are times very often where, for example, the Commissioner of Police is indisposed or otherwise unable to attend these meetings. This has implications for the kind of support which the board needs. And so, what we have sought to do is to empower another person with the requisite expertise because this is what the law was intended to capture,” Dr. Harris said, noting that the efficiency and effectiveness of the board impact upon the pace of residential, commercial, industrial and other developments in our Federation.
Prime Minister Harris added that the, “Four members, not drawn from the public service, shall bring the following competences to the board: they should have knowledge and experience in commerce and industry; in economic and financial matters; legal matters we have now added, and any other areas of public interest relevant to development control and physical planning.”
The Minister with responsibility for Sustainable Development is encouraging everyone to better acquaint him or herself with the work of the Development Control and Planning Board and to cooperate with the board in the execution of its mandate.
