Minister Gumbs seeks a resolution or clarity on the way forward
Minister Patrice Gumbs of the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) has issued a statement addressing significant delays in
the permit approval process resulting from ongoing go-slow action by the Fire Department. The
situation has created a bottleneck affecting critical infrastructure projects across the country.
The Fire Department’s go-slow action has resulted in the suspension of fire safety inspections
and approvals, which are mandatory components of the building permit process. This has
brought about challenges in the permitting processing, compounding VROMI’s already lengthy
wait times and affecting projects of national importance.
“As a civil servant I understand and acknowledge the frustrations of our Fire Department
personnel,” said Minister Gumbs. “However, I want to encourage a swift resolution to ongoing
discussions, as we urgently need clarity on the way forward regarding permit approvals. The
current situation is affecting not just routine construction projects, but critical infrastructure that
serves our entire community.”
Among the major projects currently held up due to the permit delays are:
School construction and renovation projects
The military base
Hospital infrastructure improvements
Prison facility developments
Other essential public infrastructure projects
“VROMI already faces challenges with processing times, and while we work to address this on
our end, the delays caused by the go-slow are out of our control.” Minister Gumbs explained.
Gumbs thanked the Fire Department for the consideration thus far and reiterated his desire for a
fair resolution.