By Garwin Davis
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has underscored the need for the public bureaucracy to operate more efficiently and responsively, emphasising that the needs of the people must be met with urgency, timeliness and diligence.
Addressing residents, business operators and other stakeholders during visits to several hurricane-affected communities in Westmoreland on July 31, Holness used the working tour to highlight and address the systemic bottlenecks that have historically delayed the implementation of public initiatives.
“We have to look closely at how we operate, because six months is simply too long for a family to wait for a roof over their heads. The length of time it takes to move projects through our traditional pipeline does not match the immediate needs of our people. We must find a way to make the machinery of governance move faster to serve the public,” he stated.
Dr Holness argued that the lengthy timelines often required to implement government initiatives exact a significant toll on ordinary citizens who depend on the State for the timely delivery of essential services.
The prime minister cited the ongoing post-hurricane Melissa recovery effort as a case in point, noting that despite sustained government intervention, it has taken more than six months in some instances to produce and deploy customised container housing solutions for affected residents.
Holness said this and other challenges underscored the need for the establishment of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA). The statutory body was established to lead, coordinate and fast-track national reconstruction and resilience projects, particularly in the wake of major disasters such as Hurricane Melissa.
NaRRA was designed to overcome the bureaucratic delays, fragmented decision-making and inter-agency bottlenecks that can slow the implementation of large-scale recovery and development programmes.
Drawing an optimistic contrast with international examples, the Prime Minister highlighted the rapid pace of development in several emerging economies, noting that their success is often driven by administrative frameworks that prioritise timely execution.
“When you look at modern development globally, cities are practically being built in a year because their systems are built for momentum… real, tangible results are delivered to citizens with speed and alacrity. Jamaica has the talent and the capability to match that kind of global velocity… we just need to unlock it,” he maintained.
Mindful of the need to balance efficiency with accountability, Holness said his call for faster execution was not intended to weaken governance standards or undermine established safeguards within the public sector.
“I am absolutely not advocating for sidestepping our legal processes, nor am I suggesting any lack of transparency or accountability. What I am calling for is empathy in administration; we can be thorough while still moving with the urgency that our citizens deserve,” he underscored.