Swaratsingh: CMOH permit removal could unlock millions

MINISTER of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development Kennedy Swaratsingh says the Government’s proposed removal of routine County Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) approval from the construction permitting process could unlock millions of dollars in economic activity and save developers about $100 million a year.

He made the statement in the House of Representatives yesterday during debate on the Public Health (Amendment) (No 2) Bill, 2026, which seeks to remove CMOH approval as a separate statutory requirement where public health matters are already addressed by other competent regulatory agencies.

Swaratsingh said 7,277 development applications had been referred to the CMOH since 2020, while building permit referrals took an average of 67 days against a 21-day service standard.