Thu | Jan 29, 2026

NARA, body to lead rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa, now active; jobs to be advertised - Morris Dixon

Published:Thursday | January 15, 2026 | 12:25 PM
Residents of Cornwall Street in Falmouth, Trelawny, look at the damage done to their homes and possessions after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, which swept through the island on October 28, 2025.
Residents of Cornwall Street in Falmouth, Trelawny, look at the damage done to their homes and possessions after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, which swept through the island on October 28, 2025.

The National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NARA), a body to lead Jamaica's rebuilding following Hurricane Melissa's destruction, is now operating as a department of Cabinet, Information Minister, Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, has announced.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet news conference on Wednesday, Morris Dixon said positions within the authority will be advertised shortly.

She said the Cabinet Secretary is providing oversight and discussions for an advisory body are ongoing.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness first announced the Government’s intention to establish NARA in law in November last year.

The proposal included giving the body special legal powers to lead, coordinate, fast-track, and oversee national reconstruction.

Holness explained that NARA’s operations will be financed from the national budget, while initial recovery and reconstruction activities will be funded from the National Natural Disaster Recovery Fund, which currently holds about US$650 million.

The advisory board is expected to include elder statesmen, civil society representatives, technical experts, and multilateral and overseas partners.

The Opposition People's National Party has questioned how its participation will accommodated.

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on October 28, leaving at least 45 people dead and causing physical damage estimated at US$8.8 billion (J$1.4 trillion), equivalent to 41 percent of the country’s 2024 GDP, making it the costliest hurricane in Jamaica’s recorded history.

Five major international financial institutions have assembled a three-year US$6.7 billion package, just over J$1 trillion, to support the country's recovery and reconstruction. It is mostly in loans and financing.

-Sashana Small

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