PNP discuss how to attack NaRRA

[00:00:00]The PNP's powerful National Executive Committee, NEC, is suggesting that the corruption card can't be drawn against Chief Executive Officer of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority, NAR, Major General Anthony Anderson. The comment was made in a PNP WhatsApp group around the time General Anderson was named as the NAR boss in late May this year. The PNP appeared to be discussing what points to use to attack the government's implementation of NAR. It was suggested that casting General Anderson as a facilitator of corruption would not fly with the public given his record in public service.

[00:00:37]>> Maria, the concern I'm raising is this, that Anderson's track record is not one full of blemish that it will be so easy to attach certain things to him. The corruption argument not going to be attached to him so easily. Right? In my humble opinion, I think they've outsmarted us and then put him this man now to to be a CEO and whatever. reality is we need to ensure that the average Jamaican is saying we don't care who he is in could have full of integrity like wow he could have been whatever he's the man who sought out all of the um the hurricane relief that got it to Jamaica whether we know it or not so I would love for us to be able to put that information together package it for the ground so that the average Jamaican can get that information >> another PNPNC member told colleagues that the ruling JLP saw NAR's successful implementation as their ticket to a fourth term in office. He said the PNP had to play the right kind of ball game in light of NAR's political importance.

[00:01:33]Bear in mind that the N bill is what the JB sees as his glory and his savior for a fourth term and a fifth term or whatever. Speaking to some of them recently, some of the operatives, they see N as their way out to get back in tune with the Jamaican public know them in a bad state, the public itself with the cost of living and everything. So they see N as a saving grace and they're going to do everything in their power to try to get whatever done which means bypassing like all parish council which you know probably would do delay tactics and don't get used which is why they did it that way but safety standards and these things is a concern. So let's play our ball game of politics. a member of the PNP's powerful National Executive Committee, >> CEO of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority, NAR Major General Anthony Anderson, says his deliberations with Black River residents during a tour over the weekend are the first of a number of planned engagements as the parish rebuilding plans continue to be finalized. General Anderson toured sections of St. Elizabeth on Friday.

[00:02:37]It's important from a narrower perspective. One that we have this first contact that's kind of informal but it also give a chance for people to speak freely about what they think, what they feel, what they would like to see, what are their solutions. And it's interesting, you know, we have elderly people in the community who can tell you 30 years ago things were different and so on. But we also have to impress on people that we have to go with the science. We have to look at what's happening in climate events. We have to bring engineers in to look at what's possible and how best we can put all of this together. NAR's promise is to build back better, stronger, more resilient.

[00:03:14]And so it was a really good visit and important that we start. This is just the first meeting. There'll be many more uh here including formal town hall.

[00:03:22]>> Black River was one of the worst hit parish capitals by last year's category 5 Hurricane Melissa. General Anderson's tour follows a survey commissioned by the St. Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation, which found that many residents remain unclear about the government's plans, including the possibility of relocating sections of the town. The foundation called on the government to change its approach to the redevelopment project, calling for an end to what it describes as top-down policy announcements. Member of Parliament for South, that's should be member of Parliament for Southwest St. Elizabeth Floyd Green responded noting that engagements would be held with residents and business owners in order to keep >> is when our leaders quote and quote in order to avoid criticism or try to deflect away from controversy. They pull up either the race or gender card. It always troubled me because a leader should be judged based solely on their merit and what they bring to the table.

[00:04:25]And one of the biggest concerns I have is it is very obvious in our politics that women do face unique challenges that their male counterparts do not. And I accept that. But far too often it becomes a broad blanket. It's because I'm a woman. And it even falls further flat when someone pulls for that card to avoid a controversy where she herself has used vitriolic and otherwise what I would say contemptuous and misogynist statements in relations to a fellow female parliamentarian.

[00:05:08]It just seems so disingenuous to then use that claim of femalebased political victimization as a defense. So I I just leave that there listeners. I'm not going to say who I'm speaking about. I'm just going to leave that there and now move on. So we have matters of health to deal with this afternoon because health minister Dr. Christopher Tuftton is calling for a broader dialogue with stakeholders as he again laments that underperformance is partly to blame for poor service delivery in public health facilities. In a nearly 7 minute long video posted on his Instagram account this Monday, the minister urges all practitioners to play their part. There are some 24,000 medical professionals across the public health care system. In 2025, it served nearly 3 million people, administering over 3 million prescriptions and completing some 70,000 surgeries. Dr. Tuftton says while the public system is catering to many, there are others who have had unfortunate experiences.

[00:06:12]>> Many people are well served. Indeed, I would say most are well served, but too many are not. And they are not not because it's a resource issue or a resource issue alone but because the service level those who are to carry out their responsibilities too often too many of us are not. And I'm not going to apologize for saying so today what I want to do and I said it in my sectoral is to call on all of us to play our part.

[00:06:44]>> That's health minister Dr. Christopher Tuftton. According to him, the ministry's accountability framework is intended to address these issues. The framework is expected to address the welfare of staff, but it's is also expected to monitor and assess the performance of medical professionals.

[00:07:00]Dr. Tuftton says he's seeking further engagement with stakeholders in an effort to improve the service delivery.

[00:07:06]And the health minister joins us now.

[00:07:08]Good afternoon, Minister.

[00:07:10]>> Hi, good afternoon to you listeners.

[00:07:12]>> It is good to hear from you, Minister.

[00:07:14]So you you're stirring up quite a bit because of that post on Instagram this morning about your concerns about the underperforming aspects of the health care system. But I think a lot of Jamaicans make the mistake of viewing specific criticism as a generalized statement and certainly you never meant to say generally the staff in the health care system is underperforming. Correct?

[00:07:39]>> No. Uh well not at all. In fact, just to be clear, um, first of all, it's 3 million visits, not necessarily 3 million people who visit the health centers. So many visit multiple times.

[00:07:50]Secondly, um, [snorts] it's important that we don't just categorize the challenges around clinicians because they are administrators also. There are CEOs and other administrators.

[00:08:02]But you're right.