THERE has been much discussion about appointing Major General (Retired) Antony Anderson to head the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).

There always seems to be somebody saying something when persons who would be considered locally created are given super appointments. There never seems to be an issue when we are paying foreigners three or four times what we would pay locals. I guess this is the longterm impact of colonialism.

Do you remember when one of the British police officers brought here to work was being paid more than double what the commissioner earned at the time?

He was only one of the foreigners here. We had several. It wasn’t an issue because they were foreigners, although — to be fair — they were being funded by a few entities, not just our Government.

I didn’t think it looked good, even though I welcomed their contribution.

The way I see it, Anderson’s job comes down to a few criteria. One of these is establishing that he is qualified for the job. So, let’s see. He led the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). I don’t know that much about his tenure in the JDF but he did a good job leading the JCF.

Many people don’t realise it, but the JCF is the single largest employer in the country so, in effect, Anderson was the CEO of the largest entity in the country — managing a budget of approximately $60 million per annum, not counting salaries. So from the point of view of work experience he certainly has big-entity knowledge.

His leadership of the JCF saw him almost double the membership of the organisation to 15,000 and reposition the brand to levels not previously seen. Most importantly, he took over after Jamaica experienced the second-highest murder tally in our history — 1,649 in 2017.

By the end of 2023, homicides dropped to 1,393 — a reduction of 15.5 per cent. This was our first big drop in homicides since the creation of the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom). So Anderson is a performer.

His academics include a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in defence administration.

This job is about two things, though — managing a massive rebuilding of our internal infrastructure and fighting corruption. Anderson has administered big budgets before, and he is one of a handful of Jamaicans whom everyone agrees is incorruptible.

This is not the usual type of person we have put in charge of projects such as this. I will not name those former projects in this piece. I have said it before, and I will say it again: Anderson’s appointment in this job — handling a budget this big — is testament that the Government intends that this spending will be free from corruption.

Some argue about his salary. Again, I wonder if we would hear this complaint if he were a foreigner? Remember, he was already Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States. That job paid $32 million or US$200,000 per year. It makes sense to pay him more to get him to switch jobs.

He was already doing possibly the best job a Jamaican could have — living in Washington, DC, and representing his country’s interest on a global scale.

The NaRRA job requires a lot more work, comes with a lot more scrutiny, and puts a target on his back for people who want to criticise the Government. I honestly believe that Anderson is the best man for the job. Why? Because no one would dare accuse him of corruption, and he has the competence to pull it off. This is important. Much of the money for this budget is in the form of grants. We cannot afford it to be subject to allegations of corruption. We love to label organisations as corrupt in this country. Maybe they are — from light bulbs to winter vegetables — but I rarely ever see proof that can stand the test of a legal tribunal. This appointment nips those allegations in the bud.

It also leaves the political parasites who are always hovering — looking to feather their nests — out in the cold. I am referring to activists who present themselves as contractors.

These are exciting times. We are going to see incredible improvements in our infrastructure, and they are going to be led by the right man for the job.

There seems to be some misunderstanding that this organisation will be tasked with distributing free houses or providing welfare assistance to individuals who lost homes and possessions during the passage of Hurricane Melissa. I am not seeing that in its mandate. This confusion needs to be addressed.

I am hearing sensible people discussing the organisation as if it were a relief effort specifically for those who lost their homes. So there seems to be some issues as to how it is being marketed. If it is the intention to give all impacted persons roofing material, housing material, or prefabricated houses then it’s not clear in the mandate I am seeing.

If this is the intention of this organisation then corruption, nepotism, and particularism could play a role. If this is its intention, then Anderson is the right man to ensure that the right people get the assistance.

The ambiguity needs to be broken down into basic English. “Social and economic partnerships” is too vague.

Jamaica has many people who are incorruptible. Our judges are the best example. The list is long. However, the list that the public will not question is far shorter.

We operate in a democracy. Opposition political parties believe it is their job to demonise every project the Government undertakes as corrupt, irrespective of which party is ruling.

The appointment of the leader of this organisation needs to be of such that no one will dare question the integrity of the leadership.

How many people whom the public will not suspect, and the Opposition will not dare to demonise, actually exist? The two who come to mind, other than Anderson, are Colonel Desmond Edwards, head of the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency; and Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, who leads the judiciary. Neither is available.

Anderson was also unavailable. He already had a job, a very good one, which he left to perform a Government service that is much harder and, I bet, a lot less fun. So, I think we should all just welcome Major General Anderson back to the country and thank him for taking on this new, necessary enterprise.

I’m not too sure that every Jamaican I can think of would have left the job he had to take on this massive responsibility in their 60s. This type of selflessness is in keeping with the character of the man. I only hope that we will all appreciate his sacrifice.

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