Discuss NaRRA objectively and with context

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The conversation around the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) has increased over the last few weeks. Questions have been raised about the need for a NaRRA, the size of its staff, and the salary of its CEO. I would like to place these issues in context.

There have been arguments that existing agencies within the government, such as the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), should be utilised instead of forming a new agency. In his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate on October 9 this year, Opposition Senator Small Ferguson lamented that between the financial years 2016 and 2026 the central government failed to spend J$96.3 billion of a total of J$635.7 billion allocated for capital expenditure over those 10 years. So, how can an argument be made to have this said mechanism spend US$6.7 billion or J$1.04 trillion over five years?

Questions have been raised about the size of the staff to be hired by the new agency. The current national budget tabled in Parliament in March is J$1.44 trillion. The Ministry of Finance alone has a staff of about 600 to manage this budget, not to mention the accounting and management staff in the other government ministries, agencies and departments. So, what would be a reasonable size of staff to get this agency staffed for efficiency?

The latest controversy is about the salary of NaRRA’s CEO. When the post was advertised in January of this year, the salary scale for the post was also published. I can’t recall any objections then, so why now? Are there other posts within the public sector that carry a similar salary? Do these CEOs have a capital budget anywhere near the size of NaRRA’s?

We should not engage in contextomy when we debate important issues. It is fallacious and does us no good.

ALWYN GREGORY

Manchester