'Commensurate with the responsibilities'...OPM defends NaRRA CEO's $40M basic salary

The Government says the basic salary for chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Major General Antony Anderson is $40 million per year and defended the figure as being commensurate with the responsibilities of the post.

The position of NaRRA CEO is assigned a motor vehicle and 25 per cent gratuity “subject to performance”, but does not include housing benefits, said a statement released by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Friday.

OPM says Anderson’s compensation package is closely aligned with the chief executives of Jamaica's larger public bodies such as the National Housing Trust and the Port Authority of Jamaica and took into consideration the scale, complexity and responsibilities associated with the position.

“The job description and compensation were also internationally benchmarked. The remuneration was determined in relation to the requirements of the office and the mandate of the entity,” OPM said.

Television Jamaica first reported on Friday that with benefits, Anderson could earn between $35 and $50 million per year as CEO of NaRRA.

OPM, in its response to the report, said the post of NaRRA CEO, including the responsibilities, requirements and compensation, was scoped and established by the technical officers in the Transformation Implementation Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Public Service before the recruitment process began.

It says the salary is commensurate with the responsibilities “and rightly the expectation of performance is high”.

“We welcome public interest and support in holding the CEO and NaRRA to account for deliverables,” the OPM statement said.

“The leadership of an institution carrying responsibilities of this magnitude requires a high level of technical competence, executive experience, sound financial management, strategic oversight and the capacity to deliver results within demanding timelines.”

OPM says the Government remains committed to ensuring that NaRRA delivers value for money on behalf of the people of Jamaica and that every expenditure associated with the authority is justified by its contribution to the national reconstruction effort.

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