VROMI says Fire Department go-slow is delaying permits, major projects affected

GREAT BAY--Minister Patrice Gumbs of the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) has issued a statement on delays in the building permit process linked to ongoing go-slow action by the Fire Department, warning that the situation is creating a bottleneck for projects across the country.

According to the Minister, the go-slow has led to a suspension of fire safety inspections and approvals, which are required steps in the permit process. As a result, permit processing has been further slowed, adding to existing backlogs and affecting a range of national priority projects.

“As a civil servant I understand and acknowledge the frustrations of our Fire Department personnel,” Gumbs said. “However, 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.”

The Minister said projects currently impacted include school construction and renovation, the military base, hospital infrastructure improvements, prison facility developments, and other essential public infrastructure initiatives.

Gumbs noted that VROMI is already working to improve processing times, but said the additional delays caused by the go-slow are outside the Ministry’s control. He thanked the Fire Department for its consideration so far and reiterated his call for a fair resolution and a clear path forward.

The ongoing go slow by the Fire Department has been ongoing for over a year. While a mediator in the person of attorney Valya Pantophlet has been in place for a few months, there has been no update as of late from the Prime Minister on how those talks are going. The union representing the Fire Department and Ambulance WICSI-PSU had earlier stated that it will no longer make public comments while the discussions were ongoing.

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