Dear Editor,

I have been closely following the public discourse surrounding the Auditor General Department’s report on Hurricane Melissa relief funds donated through the Support Jamaica portal.

The primary grievance among my fellow citizens appears to be focused not on the total funds allocated, but on the revelation that only 1.8 per cent of the public donations have actually been spent.

This discourse is deeply concerning because it highlights a critical information gap that leaves citizens at a dead end. There is an urgent need for a shift in how we, as a people, consume national news. We must look beyond sensational headlines to truly understand the complexities of governance.

The auditor general’s report underscores a systemic issue that Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness frequently emphasises: Our current bureaucratic framework is fundamentally holding Jamaica back. This rigid process hampers economic growth and breeds widespread operational inefficiencies. Yet, whenever solutions are proposed, political pushback stalls progress. I recall a parliamentary sitting in which an amendment to the Procurement Act was introduced, only for the Opposition to reflexively scream their favourite buzzword: “corruption”.

More recently, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) introduced a bold, bullish legislation, the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Act to bypass protracted procurement delays based on hard lessons learnt from the Troy Bridge reconstruction, the Hurricane Beryl funds, and now the Hurricane Melissa funds. Once again, the Opposition and some civil society groups cried “corruption”.

This reflexive outrage over proposed legislative reform is a disservice to the Jamaican public. If we genuinely love this country, our public discourse must be grounded in truth. The Opposition must engage in meaningful, constructive debate rather than chasing clickbait and carefully evaluate what is required to move Jamaica forward.

Crucially, the public must understand that the (GOJ) had immediate access to other disaster risk financing tools, including the Catastrophe Bond, the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) Tropical Cyclone Policy, and the CCRIF Excess Rainfall Policy which provided approximately US$240 million in liquidity.

Therefore, the low expenditure from the Support Jamaica fund did not compromise the Government’s ability to execute its constitutional relief duties; alternative resources were deployed first.

As the prime minister stated in a
Jamaica Information Service (
JIS) release on December 2, 2025: “Funds raised through the Government’s Support Jamaica portal will be directed towards the purchase of building materials to assist in rebuilding the homes of Jamaicans impacted by Hurricane Melissa.”

While this remains the Government’s objective, strict adherence to existing, cumbersome laws is what has delayed disbursement and sparked this controversy.

Very few citizens seem aware of these administrative bottlenecks, which is precisely why NaRRA is so vital. In my view, the auditor general’s report does not expose government negligence; rather, it solidifies the absolute necessity for NaRRA.

I implore all Jamaicans to elevate the standard of our national conversations. Only through informed, honest debate can we keep the public properly educated and collectively build a truly resilient Jamaica.

J Sheika Brown

Montego Bay

St James

jsheikabrownin@gmail.com