KINGSTON, Jamaica – Central Westmoreland Member of Parliament Dwayne Vaz last night apologised for comments he made from a People’s National Party (PNP) platform in Mount Salem, St James, saying he was in no way suggesting any form of violent reaction in relation to the fire at a PNP office in Montego Bay.

In a statement issued Friday night, the MP said: “My miming of a song has been completely misconstrued and those who may have heard me doing this during the playing of lyrics of the song ‘Wah Dem Feel Like’ by the incarcerated Vybz Kartel, have misunderstood the context.”

General Secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Dr Horace Chang said in a news release Friday that he had lodged a formal complaint with the Political Ombudsman following the Central Westmoreland MP’s comment, which was an apparent call for PNP supporters to “load up di gun dem”.

Chang said that the statement was a clear breach of the political code of conduct, which could serve to incite political violence.

But, in a news release late Friday, Vaz explained that while he does not condone the actions that led to the Vybz Kartel’s confinement, “his artistry did find fondness in my musical collection and I have asked for his music to be played on occasions.”

Vaz said his repeating the words of the song was only in reference to loading up PNP supporters into vehicles to go to mass meetings as is normally done.

“And so I want to make it abundantly clear that there was no intent on my part with regards to anything to do with violence or encouraging violence, or for any form of retaliation,” he insisted.

Vaz further said: “This is not me. I did not say or meant to say anything about weaponry in a negative or violence prone way. I also made it clear in my presentation that I was in no way blaming anyone for the fire and so any coincidental or misunderstood conjoined comment about weapons was definitely not done encouraging any of my supporters or anyone supporting the People’s National Party toward any type of violence.”