Letter of the Day | NaRRA: Where have all the PWDs gone?

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Those born before, or shortly after, Independence will readily understand the acronym PWD – the Public Works Department. I thought of the PWD when I heard about the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA). In a speech published on March 20, the prime minister spoke of Jamaica’s deteriorating infrastructure and the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa. However, this crisis did not begin in 2026.

Nearly two years ago, the Government announced it was reviewing the functions of the National Works Agency (NWA), citing a crisis on the nation’s roads (JIS, December 31, 2024). That announcement was followed by the creation of NaRRA, which elicited widespread criticism from the parliamentary opposition and civil society groups. This approach is not new. In 2001, the PWD was “modernised” in the name of efficiency and accountability – but at what cost?

This letter is not an argument for or against NaRRA. Rather, it asks why the PWD was dismantled and whether the centralisation of public works has contributed to Jamaica’s current infrastructure crisis. Responsibility was shifted from parish-based PWD offices to the NWA on Maxfield Avenue, and now further centralised under NaRRA at Jamaica House.

I grew up in St Thomas and observed the effectiveness of the local PWD. Roads were regularly maintained; drains were cleared to prevent flooding; and potholes were repaired using durable macadam. The PWD built roads to last, using compacted stone bases rather than thin layers of tar over marl. The department also constructed groynes and breakwaters to prevent river and coastal erosion and routinely inspected bridges.

The consequences of dismantling this system are evident. A man died in April after falling through a damaged bridge in Easington, St Thomas – damage reportedly caused by Hurricane Melissa. Had the PWD still existed at the parish level, that bridge might have been repaired long before tragedy struck.

Historically, the PWD was responsible for constructing and maintaining roads, bridges, hospitals, police stations, courthouses, and public gardens such as Bath and Castleton. Today, many of these assets are in severe disrepair. The shift to private contractors, driven by profit rather than public service, has resulted in shoddy work and neglect.

NaRRA is not the solution. Jamaicans must critically examine the centralisation and privatisation of public works and advocate for a system that prioritises quality, local knowledge, and accountability over profit.

LOUIS E A MOYSTON, PHD