PIAB approval process holding back projects, says Chang

WESTERN BUREAU:

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang says the Government might need to review the approval process for funds to be acquired from the Public Investment and Appraisal Branch (PIAB) for community-level projects, saying that, without such a change, some projects could take years to be completed.

Chang, who was speaking at last Thursday’s general meeting of the Ironshore Citizens’ Association and Benevolent Society (ICABS) in Montego Bay, St James, referenced the approval process for projects such as the Troy Bridge’s rehabilitation, in Trelawny, and the development of a water line from Martha Brae, also in Trelawny, to Montego Bay, as examples of works that have taken longer than they should.

According to Chang, the Troy Bridge collapsed in 2021 and did not have funds clear for its rebuilding until 2024, much to the disappointment of residents of the Troy community and neighbouring communities.

“It is an instructive experience for the Government, because some of the smaller projects should not be going through that prolonged process, just like the water line running from Martha Brae to Montego Bay, which should have been done six years ago,” said Chang.

“Part of the problem is that this whole PIAB process is fairly new, but the PIAB is designed to prevent this kind of thing from happening, and sometimes you have to fill out a form for these projects. We will have to change that process for these smaller projects,” stated Chang.

The PIAB, formerly the Public Investment Management Secretariat (PIMSEC), is a branch of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service that was established during the 2015-2016 fiscal year to serve as the single point of entry for all projects intended for the Public Sector Investment Programme.

In March 2023, the Public Administrations and Appropriations Committee criticised the PIAB for failing to process approvals in a timely manner, after it was revealed in the House of Representatives that approximately $6.5 billion which was budgeted for capital projects would not be spent during that fiscal year.

Property sale

Speaking specifically to the concerns of the Ironshore residents, Chang said the long-standing issues include the delay in delivery in turning over $166 million from the sale of a property in the area. The property sale was done to facilitate the construction of the Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project. The proceeds from the sale were earmarked for community development projects, to include the building of a community centre and green spaces.

“This process has value but, like many things in government, it is the execution that creates problems. In fact, when this money was first brought up, it was earmarked for capital products in the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC), and particularly Ironshore. If you have the capital projects to spend the money on, you will get the money,” said Chang.

Meanwhile, Naudia Crosskill, the StJMC’s chief executive officer, told the meeting that, although the full $166 million has been requested for Ironshore’s proposed projects, the corporation must follow the specified guidelines under the law, in order to receive the money.

“We have requested the funds, but we were told that we have to fill out a form, from the PIAB, to say what it is you require the money to do. For your community centre, for example, we have to say why we need to build the community centre, how it is going to be maintained, and also the cost-benefit analysis,” said Crosskill.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com