Long-term staffing problems are said to be behind a backlog of building applications and maladministration within the Planning Department.

Sources told the Mid-Ocean News that "a dearth of senior planners" has had a significant impact on departmental operations, most notably in how Planning policy is applied and the manner and speed in which building applications are processed.

The problems have existed for almost a decade, according to one insider, who blamed the decline in standards on a cocktail of inexperience and understaffing.

According to another, the reduction in staff has left the East End without dedicated planners.

The Environment Ministry remained mum yesterday when asked for comment, but many industry professionals believe a complete overhaul of the Planning process is the only adequate form of redress.

"I think when the department is allowed to do its job it does a good job, the problem is the lack of staff," an insider stated.

"An application is taking anywhere between 12 and 16 weeks to be processed ¿ and that's only the first part of Planning. Building control takes another ten to 12 weeks."

The entire process would take anywhere between eight and ten weeks when the department was adequately staffed, the source added.

"It has come to my attention that they have 'x' amount of planners ¿ one senior and a lot of assistants. The assistants are great. They're really trying but they need more guidance.

"It doesn't help that they're understaffed. I was told that things are so bad the East End doesn't have planners and there are only eight in the West End. They've had to move planners from the West End so (work at) the East End can catch up.

"We haven't started to feel the effects but I think we will. A lot of it really isn't the department's fault. At present, anyone can submit a (building) application. There's no rule that it should only be done by architects.

"So there's a lot of incomplete applications submitted, that slow down the processing process. I think if only registered architects, if only professionals were allowed to submit applications, it might speed things up."

President of the Institute of Bermuda Architects (IBA) Germano Botelho said the situation had caused some concern among members.

"The IBA is made up of architects," he stated. "I think individually we are all feeling the effects of the department being understaffed. We are very concerned especially as we don't see things changing in the near future ¿ and that's the problem."

One frustrated professional said an obvious solution would be to entice capable staff back into the department. At the top of his wish list was former Permanent Secretary for the Environment Ministry, Brian Rowlinson, who retired from the post in 2004.

"They've lost people who brought seniority and a depth of knowledge to the table. People like Erica Smith, Anna Eatherly ¿ their skills are lost," the source claimed.

"They need to bring Brian Rowlinson back. They need someone with his skill set. He was a very good administrator."

However, a department source insisted that this tactic had already been tried.

"Many old staff members have been called to fill in the dearth," they insisted. "But they have full-time jobs, they're not going to work as consultants unless they're receiving a pretty penny."

The staffing situation reportedly dates back to 1998. Prior to that year, the department boasted a director, an assistant director and two senior planners.

"The department is very behind in the processing of applications. Now there's no assistant director, there's one senior planner and three trainees ¿ one who isn't always there.

"So there's a severe problem with the lack of experience. As a result there's some piss-poor planning going on right now. This island is 21 square miles and I'm horrified. Some of it is awful. And it's because the Planning Department is lacking the expertise and the time to do the job properly."

The public is fed up with the delays, said another insider, who expressed amusement at the relative speed in which Planning gave the new stem cell facility, Brown-Darrell Clinic, the green light.

"A lot of it is not the staff's fault but it has a knock-on effect in that constituents call their politicians to complain about the hold-ups. The politicians then call Planning and (certain applications) are pulled out of order, which isn't fair to the people who have been waiting for some time.

"I do find it interesting that when (Premier) Ewart Brown decided to open his clinic, he got his plans through faster than anyone else.

"Now, the department is acutely short. The numbers are way down and they're having problems with respect to policy. It's very bad."

Although the problems are very "hush-hush", members of the public are complaining about the long delays, said the man. He insisted that Planning is "the number one department the Ombudsman has targeted" for investigation as a result.

Yesterday, Government Ombudsman Arlene Brock admitted that there are "continuing issues of concern with the department in general", but said she was reluctant to speak in advance of a report from her offices, which will be tabled in the House of Assembly on February 1.

As background, she referred this newspaper to the 2006 Bermuda Ombudsman Report regarding the Planning Department.

"There were more complaints about this department than any other. Staffing has not grown in proportion to the volume and complexity of its work, particularly for enforcement. The Ministry is working on this challenge."

The time has come for an overhaul, a veteran architect insisted.

"The frustrating part of all this is in other jurisdictions, architects can walk up and sit with a planner to have an indication of where the project might be headed. In ours, you sit and you wait for response in written form. There's very little discussion.

"It really isn't the department's fault. It all ties back to the (Architects Registration) Act, which dates back to 1969. I know the IBA has been pushing hard to get a new Act looked at. Little things like that might help. The Planning Department is sometimes unjustly blamed but it's partly the system. I don't think there is a clear-cut answer."