Government Revising NaRRA Space Requirements

The Government is revising the space requirements for the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) at the Digicel Building in downtown Kingston, with the Authority set to occupy less space as part of a phased rollout, following concerns raised about the approximately $115.2 million annual cost.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, who made the announcement during Wednesday’s (October 7) Post-Cabinet Press Briefing at Jamaica House, said the Government is sensitive to and respectful of public concerns regarding the matter.

“Given those concerns raised and the sentiments that have been expressed, the Government has decided to stage the rollout of NaRRA, which means going slower, using less space, and so it means that we will see a revision to the space requirements in the short term. So where they would have needed a particular square footage, we will start with significantly less so that the costs are reduced,” she said.

Senator Morris Dixon said NaRRA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, had explained the considerations that informed the decision to select the Digicel Building.

“The first one was resilience and functionality. So he was able to verify that the building was earthquake and hurricane tolerant. That was very important… that an entity that is involved in the rebuilding effort had to be able to withstand any kind of natural disaster,” she stated.

The second consideration was the need for a centrally located and accessible facility capable of supporting reliable operations, with uptime exceeding 90 per cent, making it well suited to ensuring continuity in the aftermath of a disaster.

Minister Morris Dixon said the Digicel Building met all of the requirements outlined by Major General Anderson.

Meanwhile, she noted that the rental cost is consistent with prevailing market rates, pointing out that all government rental and lease agreements are subject to review by the National Land Agency (NLA).

“They are checked… to ensure that that ministry or agency is not overpaying in relation to its rental rates. That was done in this case, and there was sign-off from the NLA that this was consistent with market. But it also speaks to a shortage of buildings of the type that the team would have been looking for,” Dr. Morris Dixon said.

She, however, reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensuring that NaRRA continues to fulfil its mandate under a more streamlined operational arrangement, despite the reduction in office space.