Abka Fitz-Henley defends NaRRA's role in Hurricane Melissa recovery

State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Abka Fitz-Henley, has expressed confidence in the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) to fulfill its mandate of rebuilding areas devastated by Hurricane Melissa. Speaking to the diaspora community in New York, Fitz-Henley defended the special-purpose vehicle against what he described as a ‘coordinated smear campaign’ by the Opposition.

NaRRA has recently faced public scrutiny following reports regarding its leadership compensation and operational costs. These include reports of the Chief Executive Officer receiving an annual salary of $40 million plus a 25 per cent performance gratuity, and a proposed $115 million annual lease for the Digicel building to serve as headquarters.

Fitz-Henley acknowledged that while some questions regarding the authority are reasonable, many recent criticisms are spurious or address issues that have already been transparently handled. He noted that the government is currently reviewing the lease agreement and remains ready to answer questions as the authority moves from its organizational build-out phase toward project execution.