In a heated session of the House of Representatives, Dwayne Vaz, the People’s National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Central, accused his predecessor, George Wright of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), of hijacking a shipment of hurricane relief supplies intended for the constituency. The supplies were dispatched in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica as a Category 5 storm on October 28. Vaz described the incident as a blatant case of ‘political victimisation,’ alleging that Wright and his team diverted the aid from its intended recipients. The controversy unfolded on Tuesday, following Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s two-hour address detailing the preliminary damage estimates from the hurricane. Vaz claimed that despite assurances from the government to avoid politicized relief distribution, chaos ensued when Wright allegedly commandeered the supplies. Vaz recounted that Wright’s team arrived with trucks and loaded the relief materials, leaving the intended beneficiaries empty-handed. He emphasized the need for improved coordination and security during future relief operations, suggesting that the current MP should oversee distribution to ensure fairness. Vaz expressed concern over the public’s perception of the incident, noting that it left a ‘bitter taste’ among citizens who questioned the integrity of the relief process. He called for transparency and accountability to prevent such occurrences in the future.
PNP’s Dwayne Vaz accuses former MP George Wright of hijacking hurricane relief supplies
