‘I'm prepared to tackle all of them’ – PM accuses some NaRRA critics of political motives, says they ‘get funding to do this’

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness says some advocates calling for additional oversight of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) are driven by political interests, and receive funding for their activities.

“There are also a set of Jamaicans who don't want to see NaRRA succeed. It's not in their political interest for NaRRA to succeed and we must call them out," he said at a post-Cabinet news conference on Wednesday. "They hide under all kinds of names, claim to be parts of civil society when they're not. They are political activists, and we must call them by the name and I stand here frankly and say that." 

He defended the controversial NaRRA legislation, saying existing laws and institutions already provide the necessary safeguards to monitor the authority’s operations.

“And it's not just Jamaica that is suffering from this. It's a global thing. Technocracy and bureaucracy are real. They have political interests. They are self-interested and vested. They get funding to do this. That's the hidden part of this that the country doesn't see,” Holness said of some critics. 

The prime minister said he was prepared to defend his position. 

“These things have to be said, and I say them unapologetically, and I'm prepared to tackle all of them who are going to come out of the woodwork to deal with my statements. I'm prepared to deal with you,” he said.

He did not name any specific group or individual.

The Opposition, along with dozens of civil society organisations and governance advocates, has argued that the NaRRA law grants sweeping powers to the authority and the responsible minister, including the ability to override regulatory agencies, without sufficient independent oversight.

Holness, however, argued that Jamaica has already invested heavily in oversight structures through legislation such as the Financial Administration and Audit Act and the Public Bodies Management and Accountability Act.

“You're going to say to me now, that when I set up a bill, I must now go and put in place another FAA,” Holness said.

“So the same provisions that are in the FAA and the PBMA, that cut across all ministries and all legislation, I must go now and put those same things in this legislation,” he added.

According to the prime minister, creating additional oversight mechanisms specifically for NaRRA would result in unnecessary bureaucracy and inefficiency.

“It doesn’t make sense. If we invested in building out this very robust framework, where we spend billions of dollars every year trying to guarantee the country's accountability and probity, and then we go and do that again, the people who are recommending this don't have our best interests at heart,” he argued.

 He added: “Let the systems that are in place, let them work. While the systems that are supposed to deliver speed and efficiency, let them work.” 

The legislation establishing the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority was passed recently by both Houses of Parliament and has now taken effect after receiving the Governor General’s assent.

The authority is intended to fast-track major reconstruction and infrastructure projects, particularly following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Holness also announced that members of the Jamaica Reconstruction and Resilience Oversight Committee (JAMRROC), a separate non-legal body intended to monitor NaRRA’s operations, would be named shortly.

Meanwhile, Antony Anderson, Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States, is to take over as NaRRA’s first chief executive officer, effective June 1, Holness announced. 

Anderson previously served as Commissioner of Police, Chief of Defence Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force and National Security Adviser.

“He would have the confidence of the partners and stakeholders that would be critical for the success of NaRRA,” Holness said.

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