PUSHING back against accusations of intolerance to criticism, Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Minister Daryl Vaz says the Government’s firm stance on misinformation reflects commitment rather than ego. He is also dismissing suggestions that ministers are shutting down debate.

Speaking at the Jamaica Observer Press Club last Thursday, Vaz defended the tone and frequency of the Government’s public messaging in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, arguing that clear communication is essential during a national emergency.

He said claims that ministers are dismissing criticism demonstrate misunderstanding the difference between scrutiny and what he described as misleading narratives that risk undermining recovery efforts.

Vaz said his approach has been shaped by the scale of the crisis and the need to keep the public accurately informed at a time when anxiety over prolonged power outages remains high.

“I have been very, very cautious and careful to communicate with the country in a time of emergency,” Vaz said.

“I have been attending all of the [Hurricane] Melissa press conferences. I have been attending most of the post-Cabinet [meetings] up to yesterday [last Wednesday], and I made sure I gave a statement to Parliament — and even before the statement to Parliament I indicated to the country where and what we were planning and what our thinking was,” he added.

The minister said his frustration is not directed at opposing views, but at what he believes are repeated misrepresentations of the Government’s decisions — particularly surrounding the US$150-million loan provided to Jamaica Public Service (JPS), to ramp up electricity restoration efforts since the storm struck Jamaica on October 28, 2025.

“What I’m not prepared to accept is misinformation… and some of the misinformation was that $150-million was only a part of the money that’s needed for light restoration. Anybody who has listened to me from day one would have heard that the loan of $150 million was specific to restoration, and the figure was not picked out of a hat,” he explained.

The JPS loan has become a flashpoint in political debate, with Opposition politicians questioning whether the amount is sufficient and arguing that Parliament should have been given clearer assurances about long-term funding. Opposition Leader Mark Golding has been among those warning that the country could ultimately face a much larger financial burden, a position that Vaz says risks delaying urgently needed action.

He argued that such claims, when aired publicly, create confusion at a time when communities are already under strain.

Vaz also rejected suggestions that the Government had failed to engage the Opposition on energy-related decisions, saying there had been direct communication with the Opposition throughout the crisis.

He said that the Opposition’s energy spokesman Phillip Paulwell was advised when Cabinet opted to move away from the licence arrangement with JPS and instead secure a loan to accelerate restoration works.

“When [Hurricane] Melissa came, our discussions were in relation to the various options, and when I made a decision, and the Cabinet approved the decision of moving away from the licence and going with a loan, he was advised,” Vaz said, adding that the fiercest objections in Parliament did not come from Paulwell.

The minister said he has sought to reduce friction by encouraging constructive dialogue ahead of parliamentary sittings, inviting Opposition members to submit questions and requests for clarification in advance so that answers can be provided on the record.

“Whether it is transport, telecommunications, I am in communication with them. They send me questions. And as a matter of fact, I go further: To save time, when the new budget year is coming and you go to the standing finance [committee], I often ask them to send me any information or clarification that they may want so that I can provide it when I speak, and they can then follow up with questions — which I don’t think any other minister does. But why sit there and go back and forth when you can have a constructive dialogue,” he emphasised.

Vaz maintained that his firm public posture should not be interpreted as hostility to debate but as a reflection of the urgency of the moment.

He stressed that his focus remains squarely on the national interest, not political advantage, insisting that cooperation is both possible and necessary during recovery.

“I am prepared to take any conversation, any discussion, as long as it is rational and it is in the interest of the people. The politics finish on September third for me, so let me just make it clear: I speak for myself and I remain approachable, I remain amenable, [and] anything that is in the country’s interest in this particular period of time, I am open to it,” he said.