Jamaica’s Lower House has approved legislation to establish the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA), marking a major step toward coordinating recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa.
The bill, which was debated extensively in the House of Representatives of Jamaica, will now move to the Senate for further review.
Lawmakers concluded deliberations at approximately 1:33 a.m. on Wednesday after hours of discussion and detailed examination of individual clauses. More than 20 amendments were considered during the sitting, with Opposition members ultimately rejecting the measure and requesting a recorded vote.
The Government secured passage with 31 votes in favour and 15 against, while 16 members were absent.
Opposition representatives raised concerns about governance, arguing that the proposed structure places excessive authority within the executive and lacks sufficient oversight mechanisms. Despite these objections, their proposed amendments were not adopted.
Government legislators, however, introduced and passed several changes aimed at reinforcing accountability. Among the provisions are requirements for regular consultations with communities impacted by reconstruction efforts, biannual reporting by the chief executive officer to the responsible minister, and the tabling of those reports in Parliament.
Additional clauses were included to address potential conflicts of interest involving senior officials, following concerns related to procurement and governance practices.
The bill’s approval came at the end of a tense parliamentary session that began Tuesday afternoon. Proceedings were briefly disrupted earlier in the day following an incident involving the ceremonial mace, prompting Speaker Juliet Holness to suspend Opposition MP Angela Brown-Burke for the remainder of the sitting, with Government members backing the decision.
The legislation was initially introduced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness and later steered through its final stages by Works Minister Robert Morgan.
Since its introduction, the NaRRA Bill has drawn strong reactions from both political and civil society groups. Critics have consistently warned about the scope of authority granted under the framework, while Government officials maintain the measure is necessary to improve efficiency and coordination in national recovery operations.
Over 28 advocacy and civil society organisations had also urged broader consultation and stronger safeguards ahead of its passage, stressing the importance of balancing rapid reconstruction with transparency and accountability.
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