We would have preferred Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s announcement of a National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NARRA) to come much earlier.

Let’s say within a week after Hurricane Melissa cut her devastating path across western Jamaica, from south-west to north. But as the old saying goes: ’Better late than never’.

We note that while the new national body will report directly to the prime minister it will involve a multi-stakeholder board. We expect that representation will be as broad-based as possible without being unwieldy.

Dare we hope that the political Opposition will be part of the structure and that, if invited, will accept that invitation?

The need for not just perception but reality of national unity is past pressing at this time.

Our immediate impression from news reports of Dr Holness’s statement on Wednesday suggested NARRA will be focused on reconstruction in the medium to long term.

Also, we believe whatever needs to be done to ensure a greater perception of unity across the political divide in the ongoing distribution of relief supplies should be done.

It may be best if, as much as is possible, political representatives leave such handouts to designated relief agencies and independent donors — be they groups, corporations, individuals.

In relation to NARRA, we are at one with Dr Holness that existing public sector structures, rules, regulations, procedures are inadequate to deal with the catastrophic consequences of Hurricane Melissa.

Furthermore, the challenges need to be addressed with emergency speed and scale, which existing State bureaucracy will not easily facilitate.

Daily we get fresh insights into the near unprecedented extent of the disaster which took dozens of lives, did billions of US dollars in damage, wiping out a significant portion of the country’s gross domestic product.

For sheer destruction Category 5 Melissa appears to have dwarfed Category 3 Gilbert which tore through the centre of Jamaica in 1988; as well as Charley which struck in 1951.

And Melissa’s consequences will probably be as long-lasting as the earthquake and resulting fire which combined to destroy Kingston in 1907.

Available evidence suggests that Jamaica’s capital city was built back better after that 1907 disaster.

Building much better, much stronger, and in far more suitable and appropriate locations than we have in the past must take priority in post-Melissa reconstruction; and indeed for infrastructure construction projects going forward, in areas where Melissa had little or no impact.

With all that in mind we welcome Dr Holness’s pledge that NARRA will be aided by a high-level public private advisory board embracing people with relevant expertise and experience in engineering, finance, planning, procurement and project management.

He envisions a blueprint for wider public sector transformation facilitating efficiency, transparency, accountability.

We like his message to Westmoreland residents on Monday that the disaster is an opportunity for Jamaica to not just rebuild for greater resiliency but also differently. And also to rearrange economically and socially so that all can benefit.

That last may sound utopian to some, but in our view it should be an ambition for all national leaders.

We daresay ginnals and thieves will be constantly on the lookout for ways to corrupt Jamaica’s rebuilding process.

Crucially, the prime minister is promising that mechanisms will be in place to counter such behaviour.

His assurance that his Administration “will spend to relieve human suffering; but with every dollar that is spent, it will be accounted for and from an efficiency point of view” resonates with us.