NaRRA To Be Complemented By National Recovery Framework

Establishment of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) will be complemented by the development of a national recovery framework and parish recovery plans.

This is to ensure that recovery from Hurricane Melissa is strategically guided and locally grounded.

This is according to Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Dr. Wayne Henry.

He was delivering a presentation titled, ‘Damage and Loss Assessment (DALA) for Hurricane Melissa: Lessons Learnt & The Way Forward’, at the Jamaica Red Cross Society’s Hurricane Melissa Recovery Conference, held at the S Hotel in Kingston on April 21.

Dr. Henry noted, as well, that the preparation of a more detailed human impact assessment, which will guide the recovery, is in progress with particular focus on livelihoods, alongside a forensic or risk driver analysis to better understand the underlying structural causes of vulnerability.

The Director General emphasised that Hurricane Melissa delivered a significant setback to Jamaica, which will require sustained strategic efforts in rehabilitation, reconstruction, and resilience-building over the years ahead.

“It is imperative that we take the lessons identified and translate them into concrete actions that strengthen our disaster risk management systems and reduce future risks,” Dr. Henry affirmed.

Among the lessons he outlined from the DALA was the finding that disaster risk financing is essential but must be paired with resilience.

“Hurricane Melissa triggered significant payouts under Jamaica’s risk transfer instruments, including the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CRIF), which contributed to total accessible funds of US$629 million. While this will provide critical liquidity for immediate relief and early recovery, it covers only a fraction of the estimated cost of US$12.2 billion in total impact,” Dr. Henry detailed.

He noted that evidence from the assessment shows that investments in resilience pay off.

“Health facilities built or retrofitted to smart hospital standards sustained minimal damage, while intact mangroves and coral reefs helped to reduce coastal flooding and protected communities,” Dr. Henry explained.

Other lessons identified included robust institutional and policy framework not always translating into effective performance on the ground and the need for effective early warning systems to be matched by last-mile readiness and response capacity.

The Director General said these lessons provide a clear picture of both progress and gaps in Jamaica’s disaster risk and recovery systems.

“They show that while we have strong institutions, risk transfer mechanisms, and early warning capabilities, their effectiveness depends on implementation, last-mile delivery, inclusive systems, and the integration of data, technology, and baseline information across all sectors,” he outlined.

Dr. Henry said the lessons reaffirm that disasters amplify existing vulnerabilities across social, institutional, and infrastructure systems.

“The DALA provides an integrated set of policy and institutional recommendations structured along three temporal phases, rehabilitation, resilient reconstruction, and building long-term resilience to guide Jamaica towards a more resilient social and economic development pathway,” the Director General outlined.

He noted that these three phases are collectively referred to as resilient recovery, reflecting a comprehensive approach that goes beyond immediate rehabilitation and reconstruction to include long-term risk reduction and resilience strengthening.

This resilient recovery will be guided by NaRRA, which will plan and prioritise rebuilding projects, mobilise and manage public and donor funding, and oversee delivery of time-bound programmes to restore infrastructure, housing, and essential services.

Dr. Henry noted that NaRRA will also drive resilience building to reduce future disaster risk and support sustainable economic and community recovery.

“We are very optimistic about the future of Jamaica, for we have an opportunity now to strengthen those areas of vulnerability and close the gaps that remain,” he added.