Jamaica’s Energy and Telecommunications Minister Daryl Vaz has issued a robust defense of his decision to authorize emergency procurement of Starlink satellite devices during Hurricane Melissa’s devastation in October 2025, directly challenging the Auditor General’s findings of procurement violations. The $12-million acquisition of 200 units has sparked a heated political confrontation regarding emergency protocols versus procedural compliance.
Minister Vaz asserted that the catastrophic communications breakdown following the hurricane justified immediate action beyond standard bureaucratic channels. ‘I make no apologies for ensuring the Government could secure available devices rapidly for distribution to state agencies and recovery teams,’ Vaz declared, referencing official emergency procurement guidelines that permit extraordinary measures during genuine crises.
The Auditor General’s compliance audit, however, determined that procurement procedures were circumvented. The report revealed that ministerial instruction rather than the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) director general initiated the process, with devices delivered before formal approval documentation was completed. Additionally, the audit found numerous units remained unused months after purchase, with inventory management deficiencies and compatibility issues involving European-style plugs.
Opposition spokesman Phillip Paulwell has demanded transparency, highlighting contradictions in government statements regarding donated versus purchased units. ‘Jamaicans are entitled to clear and consistent answers,’ Paulwell stated, emphasizing that telecommunications decisions during emergencies ‘must be unimpeachable and fully compliant with the law.’
Vaz countered by accusing the opposition of political opportunism, noting that opposition members themselves had requested and received Starlink devices during the crisis. ‘The accountability that Paulwell and the Opposition demand may therefore begin with the devices that they received,’ Vaz remarked, characterizing the criticism as disingenuous.
The minister maintained that the moral imperative of saving lives outweighed procedural concerns during the national emergency. ‘If even one life was saved, or even one family rescued as a result of the decision taken then it would have been worth it,’ Vaz concluded, defending his actions as necessary during Jamaica’s ‘most vulnerable and fragile’ period.