Government senator says report on spending of hurricane donations highlights need for NaRRA

Parliamentary Secretary in the Information Ministry, Senator Marlon Morgan, says the real-time audit conducted by the Auditor General’s Department has highlighted the urgent need for the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).

The audit report which was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday revealed that of the $1.44 billion in cash donations for Hurricane Melissa from the Support Jamaica initiative and direct donations, only $26 million or 1.8 per cent had been spent for the benefit of victims of the storm.

However, in a media release on Wednesday, Morgan pointed out that the audit noted that the Government has moved to spend over $11 billion in relation to 420 Hurricane Melissa relief and recovery-related contracts which are currently under way.

“What is instructive is that the J$1.4 billion in donations cited in the Auditor General’s Report as being unspent so far is exponentially outstripped by the massive J$11.3 billion that is actually being spent on various relief and recovery initiatives. There can be no denying that in spite of bureaucracy-related red tape which delays project implementation and the expenditure of available funds, the Government has utilized practical and situationally appropriate mechanisms to deliver timely and effective relief for citizens affected by Hurricane Melissa, while ensuring value for money," Morgan explained.

However, Morgan said the Auditor General’s report which found that less than 2 percent of the $1.44 billion in donations has been spent by Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is timely.

“It is a timely and compelling justification of the urgent need for NaRRA. Prime Minister Holness and his Cabinet deserve full commendation for the foresight and pragmatism reflected in the framing of NaRRA to lead Jamaica’s post-Hurricane Melissa reconstruction and resilience building," Morgan said.

The NaRRA bill establishes the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority as a special purpose vehicle to design and fast-track major recovery and infrastructure projects.

The bill was passed last week in the Senate.

The legislation had previously cleared the House of Representatives after a lengthy and at times tense sitting that ran from Tuesday, April 28, to the early hours of Wednesday morning.

During debate in the House, the Government successfully introduced several amendments it said were intended to improve transparency and governance, including provisions for periodic stakeholder consultations, reporting obligations to Parliament, and conflict-of-interest safeguards involving senior officials.

However, Opposition lawmakers argued those measures did not go far enough.

The NaRRA bill has faced intense scrutiny since its introduction, prompting public criticism from more than 28 civil society groups and governance advocates. 

However, Morgan the Auditor General’s report underscores the Government’s arguments during the NaRRA debate.

“As a Government, we did our research and presented data making the case that there is a better way forward in pursuit of reconstruction and resilience building — a 21st-century, fit-for-purpose way that will have positive impact and deliver transformational results in a timely fashion, while ensuring transparency, probity and accountability. I wish to emphasize the fact that the Report in question is the product of a real-time audit, which is a snapshot in time, and as such, it should be appreciated that post-Hurricane Melissa relief and recovery activities are ongoing; they are not at an end”.

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