National Reconstruction and Resilient Authority to be established for Melissa rebuilding and recovery efforts

The Jamaican Government has announced the establishment of a National Reconstruction Resilient Authority (NRRA) to lead the island’s rebuilding and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness said the NRRA, which will have special powers to lead, coordinate, fast-track, and oversee national reconstruction, will report directly to the Office of the Prime Minister.

“The NRRA will focus on building back better; safer homes, climate-resilient infrastructure, better land use planning, relocation from high-risk zones, and taking the opportunity to introduce new industries and new businesses to areas that previously had no economic base,” he said.

He said the NRRA will be established under special-purpose legislation.

“Given the extraordinary powers that will be sought to expedite reconstruction, the NRRA will be set up with a sunset date of five years, renewable by Parliament,” he said.

Holness said the Authority’s expenditure will be financed from the budget; however, recovery and reconstruction activities will be financed initially from the National Natural Disaster Recovery Fund, which currently has about US$650 million.

The Prime Minister said it is "likely" that the Government will have to borrow to finance reconstruction beyond this amount, noting that it has immediate access to approximately US$500 million from the International Monetary Fund’s rapid financing facility, which does not come with policy conditions.

Holness, in the meantime, said a high-level public advisory board will be formed and will include elder statesmen, persons from civil society, technical experts, and multilateral and overseas partners.

“It will be a multi-stakeholder board that will ensure that we’re making the right decisions, that there’s transparency and accountability. But more important, in the info-disaster that is going on, we will need voices other than the Government to explain some of the decisions that we will have to make, because regardless of what we do and how we feel that we are making the right decision, Jamaica is a democracy and ultimately you want the people to understand what you’re doing, appreciate it, and give their support,” Holness said.

Labelling the NRRA as the blueprint for wider public sector transformation, Holness said the Authority will be recognised for its efficiency.

“Speed of execution will not mean the absence of accountability. On the contrary, the legislation that gives birth to the NRRA will incorporate transparency and accountability mechanisms that can provide assurances to the public. The NRRA will serve as a proof of concept for a more agile, performance-driven model of public administration.”

He further noted that an inter-agency coordinating committee will also be established to ensure that decisions are made swiftly by the heads of executing entities.

He said international engineering, procurement, and construction programme management partners will also be engaged.

- Sashana Small

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