Ambassador Anderson Appointed NaRRA Chief Executive Officer

Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA), effective June 1.

NaRRA will serve as the central coordinating authority for post-hurricane reconstruction, with a mandate to eliminate bureaucracy, reduce fragmentation, and prevent project delays.

The announcement was made by Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, during Wednesday’s (May 27) Post-Cabinet Press Briefing at Jamaica House.

Ambassador Anderson’s appointment coincides with the enactment of the NaRRA Act, which received the Governor-General’s Royal Assent this week. He is a former Commissioner of Police and former Chief of Defence Staff.

In commending him on the appointment, the Prime Minister expressed great confidence in Ambassador Anderson, noting his proven skills in leading national institutions.

“He led two of the most important institutions in Jamaica – the JDF (Jamaica Defence Force) and the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force). In both instances, he designed and implemented transformational programmes in both institutions,” he said.

Dr. Holness noted that Ambassador Anderson brings valuable experience from working with international financial institutions and in international contracting.

“As fate would have it, I had tasked him to review the State’s response to Hurricane Beryl, which would have included a review of all the entities involved in the response… but specifically a review of ODPEM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management)]. So, he is already in proximity to these issues,” he stated.

The Prime Minister disclosed that 85 applications were received for the post of CEO, from which seven candidates were shortlisted, including three Jamaicans.

The panel responsible for recruiting the CEO comprised Chair of the Public Service Commission (PSC), Patricia Sinclair McCalla; Executive Director of the Transformation Implementation Unit (TIU), Maria Thompson

Walters; President and CEO of the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), Professor Gordon Shirley; Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Audrey Sewell; and Managing Director of National Road Operating and Constructing Company Limited (NROCC), Stephen Edwards.