MONTEGO BAY, St James — While admitting that he is the man waving a wad of US currency and talking about making money day and night, in a now-viral video, People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for the Montego Bay South East Division Lanzel Stewart is adamant that he is no scammer.

“I’ve never scammed before and I’ve never been charged for anything,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Friday when asked about the video and comments accompanying it suggested that he be investigated.

In the video a broadly smiling, shirtless Stewart, sporting a chain around his neck, is seen inside a house displaying the money while mouthing the words of a voice that says, “Another day, another dollar”.

Off camera a voice is heard asking: “What happen to the night?”

Stewart replies, “Another night, another client. Oh [expletive] hell!”

In a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) on February 15, which had racked up 105,000 views a day later, BroGad War Room reposted the video with Stewart and questioned his character.

Brogad is a name often used to refer to leader of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and prime minister, Andrew Holness. The X account does not claim to be affiliated with Holness.

“Meet the PNP candidate for the Montego Bay South Division,” said BroGad War Room’s post. “I’m not saying he’s a scammer but even @JohnPolack4 seem [sic] to have more integrity.”

@JohnPolack4 is the X handle for someone who describes himself as “unapologetically socialist” and who is always “defending the policies of the PNP”.

On Friday, Stewart appeared unworried by the reposting of his original video. He explained that it was posted a few years ago and that he had merely been imitating a popular trend at the time.

“Everybody was doing TikTok videos as a fun thing and about two-and-a-half years ago, that video was posted. When I was going to Atlanta I had bought some US [currency] and was having some fun,” explained the physical education teacher, who said he has worked in the field of education for 15 years.

“That voice-over that I did about ‘another day, another dollar’, was not about any scamming, it was the US [currency] that I had bought at the bank to travel overseas,” he reiterated.

Stewart added: “I’ve never been involved in any foolishness, I can walk go anywhere in my division right now, me alone and hear my name being called. So I don’t know why these people putting out these things about my long-time video and digging down in posts and circulate things.”

He believes the reposting of the video in the heat of the campaign for local government elections will only boost his popularity. He is set to face off against the incumbent Arthur Lynch of the JLP.

“I don’t know what they are taking up because you have to dig deep on my
Facebook page to see that. I don’t even remember that those videos were there,” he said.

“I’m not a scammer; they can send the police to my home. Ask anybody in my community how I am. I just go home and relax; people can visit. I leave my home early and return late. What time do I have to do those things?” he queried.

Stewart added that he has been the victim of smear campaigns before but each time he has proven that the allegations are false.

“There is another thing where they say I am parring [associating] with bad men. However, as a councillor, you’re supposed to interact with everybody on the ground,” he told the Observer.

“I am for the people, that’s just how I am and whether you are PNP or JLP, I will support you, talk to you, I do every little thing,” he said.

Stewart also addressed rumours that he was behind the removal of his opponent Lynch’s campaign material.

“I won’t take down a man posters,” he said.

The PNP candidate has found a positive side to all of this.

“They must be trying to help promote me,” he said jokingly.

His focus, he said, is on winning the election and he thinks he is gaining traction among the voters.

“The division is not bad, currently, although some have recommended that I get more pictures of myself up in the area. On the ground, the people love me but there are some persons that still need to see me right now. But I’ll be going out more and more as election day approaches,” he said.

“I have confidence that I can win this election and without confidence you are defeated twice in the race of life,” he remarked, paraphrasing National Hero Marcus Garvey.

Stewart also used the opportunity to explain some of his plans for the division should he be elected.

“I will be lobbying on behalf of the people for proper infrastructure to improve their quality of life. They need roads and proper lighting in my division and I haven’t seen that in the past couple of years,” he said.

Since the late 90s the division has changed hands between both major political parties. In 1998, the JLP’s Heroy Clarke took it with 552 votes over the PNP’s Percival Stewart’s 527. Clarke had an even bigger margin of victory in 2003, polling 1,290 votes to Donat Crichton’s 844. But in 2012, the PNP’s Knollis King won the division with 1,325 votes to the Clarke’s 1,317. In 2016, the JLP regained the seat when Arthur Lynch edged out Knollis with 1,305 votes to 1,035.