Dear Editor,

The ongoing debate over the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill has made one thing clear: Jamaica agrees on the urgency of rebuilding, but remains divided on the mechanism to get there. If the Opposition is unwilling to support the Bill in its current form, the country cannot be left waiting. Action must follow decisively and responsibly. We are not without precedent.

In 2012, under then Minister of Works Dr Omar Davies, the Government faced a similar challenge of how to move critical infrastructure projects forward with urgency while maintaining public confidence. The response was not delay, but innovation through the establishment of an Independent Oversight Panel (IOP) to monitor major national projects.

Dr Davies made it clear at the time that, “There are serious issues relating to timing…there are deadlines which have to be adhered to.” That reality is no different today. Jamaica’s recovery cannot wait on endless process while opportunities and timelines slip away.

Importantly, he also addressed concerns about oversight, noting, “This is not simply about investigations and probing, it is a question of economic development.” This statement strikes at the heart of the current debate. Oversight is critical, but it must not become an obstacle to execution when the national interest is at stake.

The IOP model did not eliminate accountability, it strengthened it. As Dr Davies explained, the panel would operate “alongside the respective established authorities…to strengthen the oversight capacity” while remaining “decidedly independent to facilitate greater levels of transparency”.

This is the balance Jamaica needs now. If NaRRA is stalled, the Government should move to establish project-specific oversight committees modelled on that same principle: independent, transparent, and focused on delivery. Additionally, there is a second, practical pathway.

The Government can designate clusters of priority works, roads, bridges, housing, and critical infrastructure as “national projects”. By grouping and elevating these initiatives, they can be executed with urgency under existing frameworks without requiring NaRRA itself to achieve speed. This approach allows for coordinated execution, faster decision-making, and clear national prioritisation while still operating within the broader governance structure.

Let us be clear: This is not about bypassing accountability, it is about adapting governance to meet a national emergency. Jamaica is not operating under normal conditions, and it cannot rely solely on systems built for normal times. As Dr Davies also emphasised, “We must shy away from the notion that there is only one person or office that can do that.” That principle applies equally today, oversight can be strengthened and diversified without halting progress.

If the NaRRA Bill is passed, then strengthen it and move forward. If it is not, then pivot using proven models like the IOP and strategic national project designation. What must not happen is delay, because while Parliament debates, the people wait.

Christopher McCurdy

kristophe60@hotmail.com