Vaz: “Dr. Peter Phillips Is a Hypocrite”

July 06, 2020 | By Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie |

As the political temperature rises in Jamaica, there is a big public row.

Corruption.

“Dr. Peter Phillips is a Hypocrite” Daryl Vaz has declared.

Dr. Phillips Throws Stone At Vaz …

We have a saying in Jamaica:

“If you live in a glass house … don’t throw stones”

Dr. Peter Phillips, the embattled Opposition Leader seem to have not heard the saying about “Living in a glass house.” Had he recalled such a saying, he would have not got his foot stuck in his mouth. For reasons better known to Dr. Phillips of the PNP he has chosen to verbally attack the newly re-assigned Minister of Government Hon. Daryl Vaz. Vaz, of all persons is not known to back down from a political fight.

Phillip Paulwell, Ian Hayles, Lisa Hannah and Peter Bunting all are stained by corruption or perception of same in the PNP.

Shoots From the Hip

Vaz is renown to be a street fighter who can fight dirty, if such an opportunity arises. He is quite a performer, but somehow he is accident prone. Will elaborate on that later.

Address To Party Faithfuls

Over last weekend June 28, 2020 … the Opposition Leader met with his Councillors and Caretaker candidates to plot strategy as the upcoming General elections draws near. As the media attended to cover the event Dr. Peter Phillips, apparently hungry for publicly, used the occasion to launch a blistering attack on the integrity of MP Daryl Vaz who is an Andrew Holness disciple operating out of the office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

Vaz Reassigned

Minister Without Portfolio Hon. Daryl Vaz was reassigned recently after he made an application to lease a seven acre plot of land to build a log cabin in an area known as Honeywell, which is part of a world heritage site, located in the Blue Mountain area. The matter was leaked to the press and the lease was stopped.

PM Holness reassigned Vaz to stem any further public relations damage. Vaz was the Land & Environmental Minister and it was widely felt that he should have known better.

Political Mud

The Opposition sensing an opportunity to score political points, mud slinging, you may say … does what any alert Opposition would do. So Dr. Phillips called for sanctions to be applied to Minister Vaz. This has not gone down well with Vaz who launched a counter offensive against the PNP and Dr. Phillips.

Vaz’s Attack

Manchester Municipal Corporation Fraud

“You are a hypocrite! ” Declared an obviously peeved Daryl Vaz.

Continuing his verbal volley of shots Vaz said:

“Instead of focusing on me, you should go deal with the corruption in the Manchester Municipal Corporation where five of your people are convicted for fraud.”. You will recall that one Sanjay Elliott, the identified mastermind have been convicted for defrauding the Council $400 million Jamaican dollars. The Judge Ann Marie Granger will sentence the five (5) fraudists on July 27, 2020 for defrauding the Council some $400 million dollars.

Manchester Courthouse Fire

Fire of unknown origin and of a suspicious nature … gutted the Judge’s Chambers in the middle of the Manchester Municipal Council’s Fraud trial. Was this a mere coincidence or a calculated attempt to pervert the course of Justice by destroying the court files so the fraud case would have to be terminated prematurely? This did not happen.

Election In The Air

You can tell that there is a general election in the air when barbs begin to be thrown with a view to expose your political rival’s underbelly.

Vaz did not stop there, he launched a further, and more vicious counter-attack on Dr. Peter Phillips:

“You are too bad-minded as you envy people for them house.” Uttered Daryl Vaz.

You will recall as reported in Vision, that Andrew Holness’ house being built in 2015 was the subject of much public debate leading up to the 2016 general elections. In fact there was threat of a deformation lawsuit allegedly by Holness’ in-laws against Dr. Peter Phillips, who was then Finance Minister. The matter died a natural death after the PNP lost the election of 2016 and JLP’s Andrew Holness became PM.

Dr. Phillips had more poison darts to send out:

“You are implicated in the sale of beach lands in Ocho Rios, ‘Inn On The Beach’ declared Dr. Peter Phillips as he addressed his party faithfuls … digging up more dirt on Vaz.

Beach Front

A beach front property was sold to an investor for what is regarded as below market value. Vaz defended the sale by saying it would provide jobs for Jamaicans. So any losses now would be recouped down the road. This explanation has not gone down well with the Opposition. There is the suspicion that Vaz et al has gotten a kick back on the deal. No evidence was presented to support their claim.

Vaz is Accident Prone?

Honourable Daryl Vaz is seen by many as a form of maverick. His name is always seem to be linked to the wrong causes. Yet he seem to be endowed with a thick if not impervious coat of Teflon. He has never been arrested for any matter of a criminal nature. You can image that he has not been far from controversy. Vaz is an up in your face type of person who could easily be described as intoxicated with over confidence.

Visas Revoked

The US Visa for Minister Vaz and Phillip Paulwell have been revoked. The reasons are not known and such sensitive matters are never usually disclosed publicly.

Revocation

Governments are under no obligation to so disclose the reason or reasons for the cancellation of a visa. It is the sole prerogative of a sovereign state to issue a visa to a citizen of another state. Also the revocation of same. No questions asked. This act does not send the best signal when it happens to a top government official. It provides fodder for personal attack by opponents and detractors.

Phillip Paulwell

Interestingly, former Energy Minister in the PNP and co-campaign director 2020 … MP, Phillip Paulwell, a lawyer, has had his US visa revoked also as stated above.

PNP Corruption

Corruption is corruption Dr. Peter Phillips. Do not expose what you see as corruption in the JLP, yet you fail to speak out about the Manchester Municipal Council’s Fraud. Is that not corruption Dr. Peter Phillips? Five have been convicted …. masterminded by Sanjay Elliott. Is MP, Peter Bunting not complicit?

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior National & International Correspondent for Vision Newspaper.