Anthony Anderson named NAR CEO as questions mount over appointment process

Retired Major General Anthony Anderson has been appointed chief executive officer of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority, with duties set to begin on June 1. Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the decision at a post-Cabinet briefing at Jamaica House, as the country prepares for major rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa.

The Planning Institute of Jamaica has estimated the storm’s damage and losses at about US$12.2 billion, more than half of Jamaica’s gross domestic product. Anderson, a former chief of defence staff, former police commissioner and Jamaica’s current ambassador to the United States, will take charge of an agency expected to coordinate major recovery projects.

Emile Leiba, president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, said the appointment was received positively, pointing to Anderson’s public reputation and management experience. However, he cautioned that NAR cannot depend on one person and will need a capable team, including strong engineering and construction expertise.

Dr Gavin Myers, principal director of National Integrity Action, welcomed the fact that the authority now has leadership, but said the public should have been told earlier what criteria and process were used to select the CEO. He said confidence in NAR will depend on participatory leadership, communication and accountability from the outset.

Minister with responsibility for works Robert Morgan defended the appointment, saying Anderson applied within the deadline and was selected through a public-sector process involving senior officials, not politicians. Morgan said 85 applications were received and seven candidates were shortlisted. He also indicated Anderson would not remain ambassador while serving as NAR chief.

Morgan rejected suggestions that the appointment reflected militarisation of civilian administration, arguing that Jamaica should benefit from the training and experience of former security-force leaders. He said NAR will be used for specific reconstruction projects and will not displace existing oversight bodies such as the Auditor General, Integrity Commission, MOCA or the Financial Investigations Division.

According to Morgan, the first 10 reconstruction projects are expected to be announced within a week, with staffing and institutional build-out to advance over the next 60 days.