Vaz Dismisses Buju’s Complaint; Banton Responds, “You’re Making This Political”

Buju Banton’s outcry over alleged stolen relief items triggers immediate investigation as Minister Daryl Vaz responds: “The items never left the runway.” The back-and-forth escalated as Banton accused officials of politicizing the issue, saying, “As usual, you are trying to make this political.”

Reggae icon Buju Banton's complaint prompts a quick government investigation (Photo: Alicia Reid)

Reggae icon Buju Banton’s live video went viral on Wednesday after he complained that containers filled with Hurricane Melissa relief items he sent to Jamaica were allegedly being stolen at the port.

The legendary Jamaican artiste, who partnered with pilot Barrington Irving and the Experience Aviation team to send a cargo plane filled with relief supplies to Jamaica, shared his frustration on Instagram. Posting a photo of a half-empty barrel, he wrote, “How can I be happy about this? It breaks my heart. The things are being stolen at the very port. Why?”

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Daryl Vaz has since issued a public response, acknowledging the gravity of Buju’s claims but noting that the artist’s approach may have complicated the situation. “To be clear, over 300 flights with tonnes of relief supplies have been handled and cleared at the ports. This is the first complaint of this nature regarding relief items,” Vaz stated, confirming that an investigation was launched immediately.

Following the investigation, Vaz provided a detailed update on Thursday. “In the interest of transparency, I must share the findings,” he wrote on social media. “The goods arrived on Tuesday and were cleared immediately by the customs broker. They never went to any room or offsite location. They went straight from the plane on the tarmac to the receiving truck. All items were wrapped and sealed in the same manner in which they were received.”

Vaz further emphasized that the priority system implemented after Hurricane Melissa ensures rapid processing and turnover. “These items never left the runway. They went from plane to truck. Images of all pallets were taken and sent.”

He ended by directly addressing Banton’s claims, stating, “For this particular shipment, it went straight to the truck from the runway. Images of all pallets were taken and sent.”

Banton responded to Minister Vaz, saying, “With all due respect, you are unaware of what truly happened. The goods were not taken from the plane to our trucks - they were moved to an area we had no visibility of.”

He added that his team waited over seven hours on the first day for clearance and loading, with similar delays the following day. “Seals were broken and things were taken. I have no reason to create mischief. As usual, you are trying to make this political.”

Buju also clarified that packages on the flight for PNP MPs were donated by Florida commissioners and other donors. “This is about Jamaica, not politics,” he said, stressing that many others have reported similar issues. “The system is broken. The lack of accountability is the common thread. It’s disappointing, but not surprising, that this is the approach you’ve chosen to take.”