Daryl Vaz
{{Short description|Jamaican politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use Jamaican English|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = Hon.
| name = Daryl Vaz
| honorific_suffix = MP
| office = Minister of Science Energy, Telecommunications and Transport|
| honorific_prefix = The Honourable
| image = Daryl Vaz in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (cropped).jpg
| occupation = Politician, Businessman
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|12|15}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Ann-Marie Lyew|2003}}
| term_start = September 13, 2020
| predecessor = Fayval Williams
| monarch = Elizabeth II
Charles III
| children = 1
| parents = Douglas Vaz
Father
}}
Daryl Wesley Phillip Vaz is a Jamaican politician who is the Labour MP for Portland Western.{{cite news|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/147341_Vaz-shows-proof-he-no-longer-holds-US-citizenship|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908010709/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/147341_Vaz-shows-proof-he-no-longer-holds-US-citizenship|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-09-08|first=Erica|last=Virtue|title=Vaz shows proof he no longer hold U.S. citizenship|newspaper=Jamaica Observer|date=2009-03-10|accessdate=2012-05-14}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jis.gov.jm/pdf/Members_of_Parliament.pdf|title=Members of Parliament|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|accessdate=2012-11-05|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620015639/http://www.jis.gov.jm/pdf/Members_of_Parliament.pdf|archivedate=20 June 2013}} He was the Minister of Information and Telecommunications in Jamaica from March 2009 to January 2016. His party lost the election in 2011 and Vaz served as opposition spokesman on Telecommunications. Vaz is currently Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for land, environment, climate change and investments, since the Jamaica Labour Party returned to government in March 2016. He also serves as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Portland Parish Western Division.{{cite web|url=http://go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=34675|title=UPDATE: Holness names Shadow Cabinet|website=go-jamaica.com|date=19 January 2012 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.jis.gov.jm/Cabinet_Ministers_and_Ministries.pdf|title=Ministers and Ministries|date=November 2009|publisher=Jamaica Information Service|accessdate=25 January 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215135214/http://www.jis.gov.jm/Cabinet_Ministers_and_Ministries.pdf|archivedate=15 February 2010}}
Early life
He was born in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica to Douglas and Sonia Vaz.{{cite news|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/132363_Daryl-Vaz-Newsmaker-|title=Jamaica Observer: Daryl Vaz - Newsmaker|newspaper=Jamaica Observer|accessdate=8 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002124/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/132363_Daryl-Vaz-Newsmaker-|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}} His father is a former president of the Jamaica Manufacturers Association and former Minister of Industry and Commerce.{{cite web|url=http://www.jma.com.jm/index/past-presidents|title=Jamaica Manufacturers Association Ltd. - Past Presidents|website=Jma.com.jm|access-date=2 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820102431/http://www.jma.com.jm/index/past-presidents|archive-date=20 August 2010|url-status=dead}}
Personal life
Controversy
=Tainted Money Scandal=
The Tainted Money Scandal involving Daryl Vaz and Edward Seaga emerged in 2003, raising concerns about campaign financing within the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). The controversy began when Edward Seaga, then JLP leader, questioned the source of funds used in James Robertson’s campaign for Deputy Leader of the JLP’s Area Council 2, which was managed by Daryl Vaz. Seaga publicly suggested that “tainted money”—potentially linked to illicit sources—had been used to finance the campaign, prompting an investigation by Police Commissioner Francis Forbes.https://old.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20031122/news/news1.html
Seaga’s concerns led to a formal inquiry, with Vaz writing a letter to the police commissioner denying any knowledge of questionable funds. The controversy escalated when Vaz and Robertson’s financial team challenged Seaga to provide evidence or retract his claims, even hinting at possible legal action for defamation.https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2003/11/13/put-up-or-shut-up/ The scandal highlighted broader concerns about transparency in political donations, as Jamaica lacked strict regulations on campaign financing at the time.https://old.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20031122/news/news1.html
Politically, the scandal exposed internal divisions within the JLP, particularly between Seaga and Douglas Vaz, Daryl’s father, who had clashed with Seaga in the 1980s. It also fueled discussions about public financing for political campaigns, with Seaga proposing talks with Prime Minister P.J. Patterson to explore a state-funded model that would reduce reliance on private donors.https://old.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20031122/news/news1.html While no legal consequences followed, the controversy reinforced public skepticism about the influence of money in Jamaican politics and contributed to ongoing debates about campaign finance reform
=Dual Citizenship=
Daryl Vaz engendered some controversy over his dual United States/Jamaican nationality. His mother, Sonia, was born in Puerto Rico and thus is a United States citizen by birth, albeit also a Jamaican citizen, currently resident in Canada. In 2008 or 2009 he renounced his United States citizenship in order to remain active in Jamaican politics.{{cite web|url=http://www.sknvotelabour.com/?p=624|title=Daryl Vaz renounces United States citizenship|website=Sknvotelabour.com}}
=Police Bribery=
Vaz was charged with corruption after an investigation into a traffic violation and bribery charge involving a close personal friend. Vaz's friend Bruce Bicknell was ticketed on 9 April 2012, in a traffic offence and allegedly presented the police officer with JA$2000 along with vehicle documents.{{Cite web |url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Police-Federation-defends-Sgt-Llewellyn |title=Police Federation defends SGT Llewellyn - Latest News - JamaicaObserver.com |access-date=17 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050121/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Police-Federation-defends-Sgt-Llewellyn |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead}} It is alleged that Mr. Vaz told the police sergeant in the case that he would be promoted if he gave Bicknell a chance. Vaz stepped down from his shadow minister post for the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), as a result of the corruption charges.{{cite news|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/News/Vaz-steps-aside_12331030|title=Vaz steps aside - Politician, senior cop to face court Sep 5|newspaper=Jamaica Observer}}
=US Visa Annotation=
In 2021, Darl Vaz was reissued a USA Visa after it was cancelled - that US Visa had an annotation that reads: "212(SMALL D) (3) (A) WAIVER of 212 (A) (2C) (1).". Which according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services refers to a visitor who the consular officer or the US attorney general knows or has reason to believe is or has been an illicit trafficker in any controlled substance or in any listed chemical or is or has been a knowing aider, abettor, assister, conspirator, or colluder with others in the illicit trafficking in any such controlled or listed substance or chemical, or endeavoured to do so.{{cite web | url=https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-9-part-o-chapter-4 | title=Chapter 4 - INA 212(d)(3) Waivers | USCIS | date=20 October 2021 }}{{cite web | url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20210924/vaz-gets-back-us-visitors-visa-rare-waiver | title=Vaz gets back US visitor's visa with rare waiver | date=24 September 2021 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaz, Daryl}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Government ministers of Jamaica
Category:Jamaican people of Puerto Rican descent
Category:Members of the House of Representatives of Jamaica
Category:People from Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica
Category:Former United States citizens
Category:Puerto Rican people of Jamaican descent
Category:People from Portland Parish
Category:Members of the 14th Parliament of Jamaica
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