Prime Minister Godwin Friday is taking direct aim at bureaucratic inefficiencies, pledging to significantly reduce the “red tape” that continually frustrates local business owners and stifles economic development.
During a recent broadcast on NBC radio, Friday highlighted that it currently takes up to two months to set up a new company in St. Vincent—a timeline he intends to slash to five days or less.
He called on public servants to recognize the immense value of their roles, work more efficiently, and avoid the paralysis of past administrations where workers felt they couldn’t make decisions without political micromanagement.
The Prime Minister’s remarks were echoed by a local contractor who called into the program to voice frustrations over extreme delays in receiving payments from the government for completed work. In response, Friday acknowledged that it is unacceptable for the government to act like a “bandit” by not paying its bills and promised that officials are currently tallying outstanding balances to pay contractors.
Moving forward, the Prime Minister committed to a new standard where government bills on non-controversial contracts will be settled within 28 days, likening it to paying a standard monthly utility bill.
Friday agreed with an agro-processor who called into the show to suggest the creation of a centralized, internationally compliant production facility.
The Prime Minister noted that expecting a single producer whether a farmer, fisher, or agro-processor to handle every step of production, compliance, and sales on their own makes them highly inefficient, and he welcomed collaborative solutions to help local goods reach foreign markets.