NaRRA Procurement Framework to Ensure Oversight and Accountability – PM Holness

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the procurement framework under which the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) operates will be clearly defined, legally grounded, and subject to oversight by the Minister of Finance and the Public Service.

“On the specific question of procurement, the procurement framework for NaRRA is not incorporated in the [National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Act, 2026]. It is the Government’s intention that the Minister of Finance will issue an order under Section 3 (3) of the Public Procurement Act, 2015, exempting NaRRA from the standard procurement regime and specifying the particular terms and conditions that will apply to NaRRA’s procurement activities,” he said.

Dr. Holness noted that this framework will enable NaRRA to operate with the speed and flexibility that reconstruction demands, while ensuring it remains expressly defined, legally grounded, and subject to oversight by the Minister.

He made the remarks while opening the debate on the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Act, 2026, in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (April 14.)

Dr. Holness emphasised that local contractors, workers, and businesses are integral to the reconstruction effort, stressing that they are not peripheral but central to its success.

Additionally, he said the Government has taken note of the concerns raised by the Incorporated Master Builders Association of Jamaica regarding procurement clarity, transparency, accountability, and local industry participation, affirming: “These are legitimate concerns, and they will be taken seriously.”

The Prime Minister reiterated that NaRRA is not merely a mechanism for spending on rebuilding but a vehicle to use reconstruction as a means of strengthening Jamaica’s capacity, deepening domestic capability, and laying a firmer foundation for long term growth.

“Under NaRRA, reconstruction will strengthen Jamaican capacity, not sideline it or bypass it,” he maintained.

Dr. Holness further pointed out that the Bill establishes two distinct categories of projects, which together chart Jamaica’s path from resilience to resurgence.

These include approved reconstruction and resilience projects, as well as designated strategic investment projects under the Facilitated Acceleration of Strategic Transformation (FAST) umbrella, creating a dedicated pathway to fast track private-sector led strategic investments.

The approved reconstruction and resilience projects are Government led initiatives that NaRRA will coordinate, implement, and oversee directly, delivered either by the Government itself or through public private partnerships.

“NaRRA will act as a single point of national coordination for all approved reconstruction and resilience projects, eliminating the fragmentation, duplication, and interagency delay that have too often been the enemy of timely delivery. It will establish and maintain a public register of approved projects with performance indicators, reporting standards, and compliance and monitoring systems. Accountability will not be sacrificed for speed.

“On the contrary, NaRRA will operate with a level of project management, discipline, transparency, and public reporting that has not previously been applied to government infrastructure delivery at this scale,” the Prime Minister said.

Dr. Holness further indicated that NaRRA’s role in designated strategic investment projects under the FAST Jamaica umbrella is to create the enabling environment for their successful execution.

“NaRRA will not be responsible for their delivery. What NaRRA will provide is the power of expedition, coordinating across agencies, accelerating regulatory approvals, and compressing the enabling environment that a strategic investor needs to commit capital and commence execution,” he stated.

Prime Minister Holness urged Members of the House to approach the legislation with the seriousness it deserves.

“We must resist the temptation for the theoretical… . Let us join hands but let us put the people first, truly,” he said.