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Fitial admin to set up one-stop permit center
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Posted on Dec 08 2005
The incoming administration has bared a plan to make the permitting process easier for investors by relocating regulatory agencies in one area.
According to transition committee chairman Martin Manglona, the proposed one-stop permitting center is one of the major changes that the Fitial administration will implement when it assumes office in January.
Currently, regulatory agencies are located in separate villages.
Historic Preservation Office, for instance, is at the airport area in the south part of the island. The Division of Environmental Quality, which used to share a building with the Coastal Resources Management Office in San Jose, has moved to a building in Gualo Rai.
“We hate to see investors being given the run-around. We will make things more investor-friendly by cutting the red tape. We need to change the way we do business,” Manglona said.
The transition committee chairman, who had a short stint as Immigration director under the Babauta administration, also said the Department of Labor and the Division of Immigration would be the target of many of the planned improvements.
Two current labor officials—deputy secretary Gil San Nicolas and Employment Services and Training director Alfred Pangelinan—are heading the transition team that is assessing the department.
Labor processes over 30,000 permits for nonresident workers every year. In October 2005, Labor launched the $400,000 automation project that was touted to make the processing of employment applications faster and more efficient.
