After 14 years as head of the National Works Agency (NWA), Chief Executive Officer E.G. Hunter bid farewell to the staff yesterday, his final day of employment at the agency.
In a letter to the Public Services Commission dated May 7, 2026, Hunter advised that he would serve out the term of his current contract, which expires this month, and thereafter would not seek an extension through a new contract.
Hunter’s final contract was entered into in September 2024 for a two-year period.
Works Minister Robert Morgan, who has portfolio responsibility for the NWA, had not, up to last night, announced a replacement for Hunter, but The Gleaner understands that the current deputy CEO is likely to act until a new CEO is announced.
In a letter to the staff yesterday, Hunter said that after 14 years at the helm of the NWA, it was time to pass the torch, and he was doing so with a heart full of gratitude and reflection.
“It has been the honour of my life to serve in this capacity. These 14 years have asked much of me, and, in turn, have given me more than I could have imagined,” he said.
“Above all, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have contributed, in my own small way, to the transformation and development of the country. It has been in the truest sense, mostly a pleasure to serve the people of Jamaica, land we love.”
Hunter added that much had been accomplished over the years and said he took great pride in the progress the agency had made.
He said the NWA now stands at a pivotal crossroads.
“With the Government’s approval of the creation of a One Road Authority and the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority, I understand that such change can bring uncertainty. I would urge, however, that this moment be looked at not with fear, but as a budding opportunity, a chance to build something stronger, more coordinated and better equipped to serve the needs of this nation for years to come,” he said.
He expressed confidence in the agency and the people who staff it.
“The talent, dedication and resilience I have witnessed here gives me every confidence that whatever form the road ahead takes, it will be met with the same excellence that has defined this organisation throughout my tenure,” he concluded.
Hunter previously told The Gleaner that he was leaving the NWA because he wanted to take a break.
In that telephone interview, he said he had fought long and hard and was in need of some time for himself.
Hunter began working with the government in 1977 in the Ministry of Health after returning to the island from college in the United States. He spent three years with the health ministry before moving to the National Water Commission (NWC).
After leaving the NWC, he worked with Caribbean Engineering before returning to the NWC, where he served as president for 11 years before once again departing in 2010.
He then joined the NWA at a time when the entity was heavily criticised as a “rogue agency”.
“I am leaving the agency, and I can say that there have never been any scandals associated with the agency during my tenure,” he told The Gleaner when he announced his impending departure.
He said that during his stewardship, no one could point to anything untoward taking place at the NWA.
“That is my legacy. To have competency and integrity at the end of the day,” he said then.
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