Christopher Burgess | Long service is not success

Jamaica has a habit of rewarding longevity in public service. Too often, the years served are celebrated rather than asking: what changed under their leadership? The pending retirement of Everton ‘E.G.’ Hunter provides an opportunity to examine that question.

Hunter led National Water Commission (NWC) for 11 years before moving to National Works Agency (NWA) in 2012, where he has served as CEO for more than 14 years. Few public officials have exercised such influence over two of Jamaica's most important infrastructure agencies. Such tenure deserves scrutiny.

Many Jamaicans would argue that bad road conditions, and congestion remain among the country's most persistent infrastructure challenges. A trip that once took fifteen minutes can now take an hour or more in many parts of the island. 

There is a price society pays when institutions do not improve the quality of our lives after long periods of unchanged leadership. Institutional underperformance can slow productivity and erode public confidence. 

Some will say that NWA and NWC have been steered away from frequent scandals. But the real questions are whether the institutions provide value for money and whether their service delivery has improved. Would these institutions have benefited from leadership renewal through term limits? Term limits are a mechanism to prevent stagnation and encourage fresh thinking. They help ensure that long tenure remains tied to outcomes.

FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

The challenges facing NWC were well documented during Hunter’s tenure. He inherited a utility burdened by ageing infrastructure and high non-revenue water. More than two-thirds of the water produced was lost through leaks, and illegal connections, with St. Catherine recording losses of approximately 70 per cent.

Audited financial statements have painted a consistent picture since 2001. NWC expanded coverage but struggled to achieve sustained profitability because of persistently high non-revenue water losses and a growing debt burden, which increased from roughly J$8–15 billion during much of the 2000s to approximately J$33 billion today. The Auditor General's 2026 report portrays a utility burdened by weak contract administration, high water losses, and substantial debt. While NWC has reported marginal surpluses in the last two years, these have occurred alongside limited operational improvement. Leadership must share accountability for the limited progress achieved over the last three decades.

The same questions arise at the NWA. Jamaicans are spending more time in traffic today. Increased vehicle ownership explain part of the problem. Public transport decline compounded the problem, with JUTC ridership falling from about 70 million trips annually to fewer than 20 million today. However, these conditions do not fully explain the deteriorated condition of many roads or the limited lane expansion on critical road corridors.

SOCIAL IMPACTS

Hunter has several accomplishments to point to. During his leadership, NWA delivered the Hagley Park Road, Constant Spring Road, Marcus Garvey Drive, the Southern Coastal Highway projects, and the Troy bridge. These efforts improved connectivity, though often with considerable negative social and economic costs during construction.

The adverse social impacts and prolonged construction of several projects point to deeper concerns about administration and stakeholder management. Take Marcus Garvey Drive, which was reconstructed in 2017 and still floods regularly. This raises questions about whether flood mitigation received sufficient attention during planning.

The Southern Coastal Highway project, which took more than seven years to complete, was plagued by dust nuisance to residents, poor temporary roads, business disruption, leading to community protests. Taxi operators withdrew services as diversions damaged vehicles and disrupted school attendance in 2022 and 2023. Similar complaints emerged during the Hagley Park Road and Constant Spring Road widening projects, where residents and businesses protested dust, drainage issues, construction impacts, and commercial disruption. 

Between 2017 and 2026, these projects delivered significant transportation improvements, but often at considerable economic cost to the public. The recurring complaints suggest that while the works were completed, insufficient attention was paid to traffic management, and the businesses affected during construction. 

ADMINISTRATIVE FAILURES

Even the courts have highlighted weaknesses in NWA administration. The NWA's greatest weaknesses have been in maintenance and contract administration. In Graham v National Works Agency (2016), the Supreme Court found deficiencies in NWA's inspection and maintenance systems, although the claim ultimately failed on legal grounds of nonfeasance rather than negligence. 

In CEAC v National Works Agency (2018), the court highlighted weaknesses in contract administration and the timely processing of approvals and payments. The evidence showed that approvals and payments lagged the work performed for almost six years. NWA’s own witnesses acknowledged the validity of the variation claims, ultimately entering judgment for CEAC. The case illustrates a recurring weakness in NWA administration.

These are administrative and governance failures. The cases exposed NWA shortcomings in maintenance, documentation, and contract management. 

TIME FOR TERM LIMITS

Public-sector leaders should be routinely measured by outcomes. In the case of NWA and NWC: water losses reduced, roads widened, potholes fixed, bridges built, congestion relieved, and public confidence. Longevity should be the result of success and relationships.

It is time to consider term limits for the heads of statutory bodies. Several countries use five-year contracts with renewals tied to independent performance reviews and measurable outcomes, rather than solely Board or cabinet decisions. Term limits are about ensuring institutional renewal, and independent assessment of performance. A maximum tenure of ten years would allow sufficient time to deliver major projects. Legislation requiring independent performance audits before contract renewals would ensure that longevity is earned.

The debate should centre on how public-sector leadership is evaluated. The true measure of leadership is whether institutions create better infrastructure, more reliable services, stronger economic outcomes, and greater public confidence. 

Dr. Christopher Burgess is a registered civil engineer, VP of Engineering for the Jamaica Institution of Engineers, climate scientist, land developer, and Managing Director of CEAC Solutions.