Mark Golding: Critical of Recovery Pace, Bureaucracy, and NaRRA’s Rollout Post-Hurricane Melissa

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor

February 16, 2026

Mark Golding: Critical of Recovery Pace, Bureaucracy, and NaRRA’s Rollout Post-Hurricane Melissa

Opposition Leader Mark Golding has maintained a largely critical stance on Jamaica’s recovery from Hurricane Melissa, raising concerns about progress across affected parishes, government bureaucracy, and the implementation of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA). While acknowledging some incremental gains, he argues the response has not matched the scale of destruction caused by the Category 5 storm, which struck on October 28, 2025, leaving $8.8 billion in damage—equivalent to 41% of Jamaica’s 2024 GDP—and affecting over 626,000 people.

Concerns Over Recovery Pace Across Affected Parishes

Western parishes including St. James, Westmoreland, Trelawny, Hanover, and St. Elizabeth bore the brunt of the hurricane, with Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth hit hardest. Fifty days after the storm, nearly 950 people remained in shelters, and 120,000 buildings were still roofless, while power outages persisted for weeks in many areas. Though the government has since launched a shelter recovery programme disbursing up to $500,000 per household for severe damage and cleared over 1,600 truckloads of debris in St. James alone, Golding has emphasized that progress remains uneven and too slow for vulnerable communities. He has also questioned the adequacy of past relief measures like the $10 million allocation per MP in hard-hit constituencies, arguing it falls short of addressing long-term reconstruction needs for small farmers, fishers, and micro-enterprises.

Regarding the Oval—likely referring to community hubs or public spaces affected by the storm—while specific details on its recovery are limited, Golding has called for accelerated action to restore public infrastructure, schools, and health services across all impacted areas, stressing that delays risk reversing development gains.

Critique of Government Bureaucracy

Golding links slow recovery to what he describes as overrun bureaucracy and a lack of accountability. In recent parliamentary debates, he challenged the structure of income tax amendments aimed at providing relief to affected workers, questioning whether statutory deductions would undermine full support and advocating for a permanent, flexible disaster-relief framework built into law. He has also echoed past concerns about governance inefficiencies, arguing that bureaucratic delays have hindered aid delivery and called for greater transparency and bipartisanship to streamline efforts. The government, however, has highlighted its fiscal discipline in unlocking $6.7 billion in international financing as evidence of effective management.

Assessment of NaRRA’s Operation

The National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) was established to lead recovery efforts, with a mandate to act as a single coordination point, embed climate resilience into planning, and deliver projects transparently. In the 2026 Throne Speech, it was described as a “new development architecture” that will transition from a department to a statutory corporation pending legislation. While Golding has not issued detailed public statements on NaRRA, his broader critique of governance suggests he may have concerns about its implementation. Key questions remain about whether the authority can cut through bureaucratic red tape, ensure equitable distribution of funds, and deliver on its promise to convert international financing into measurable, resilient infrastructure. The government has emphasized NaRRA’s role in leveraging global partnerships for climate-smart housing and renewable energy, but Golding is likely to push for clear accountability mechanisms to track progress.