Vaz

Daraine Luton, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

HIS FIRST stop was East Portland, from whence he led the Jamaica Labour Party campaign in the 2003 local government election.

Daryl Vaz, however, did not stay to attempt to unseat Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Donald Rhodd. Instead, he slid over to West Portland. This was much easier political territory.

The PNP's victory margin had been gradually eroding in successive elections since 1989, and a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) victory now seemed likely.

Despite the recent history, West Portland had a JLP flavour and Vaz was ready to roll back the clock to the days when Leopold Lynch held the seat for 32 consecutive years between 1944 and 1976 for the JLP.

Vaz's mission was clear: "My major plan for Western Portland is to bring in some of the tourism dollars by upgrading the Ken Jones Airstrip to encourage tourists to come to Portland," read Vaz's promotional flyer.

Straight fight

Doreen Forbes, whom the PNP had picked to run against him, was faced with a straight fight for the seat. Forbes was a newcomer. She was taking over from Errol Ennis, who had served for 18 unbroken years as MP and PNP candidate there. But most things were against the PNP. The national tide was going the JLP's way. Vaz had blanketed the constituency and the PNP had a razor-thin majority. Ennis had won the seat by just 281 votes in the 2002 election.

Months before the election, Forbes stepped aside, creating the vacancy for Abe Dabdoub, a former JLP MP. Another JLP expatriate, Kenneth Rowe, as well as attorney-at-law Valrie Neita- Robertson, had thrown their hats in the ring.

But by the time Dabdoub got there, Vaz had made West Portland his home. He had distributed more than 4,000 school bags and other school supplies, assisted in the purchasing of text books and the payment of school fees, and had overseen the rebuilding the Rock Hall Basic School.

The 45-year-old businessman also helped in the rehabilitation of the Leopold Lynch Park and told residents that with a Labour government, they would not have to worry about road conditions, employment and water supply.

Ground campaigning was nothing new to Vaz, who was elected councillor for the Waterloo division of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation in 1981 when he was only 19. But after one term, Douglas Vaz's son walked away from active politics and into business. He would remain there until the fire of public service burned deep into his soul and forced him to move to West Portland.

Pledged allegiance

But although Vaz was victorious on election day, Dabdoub would have the last laugh. At least for a time. He challenged and presented evidence that Vaz had pledged allegiance and or obedience to the United States by his own act, and, under the Constitution of Jamaica, should be disqualified from sitting in Parliament.

Vaz had acquired US citizenship through his mother, Sonia Vaz, but the court ruled that by virtue of applying for a US passport, he had taken up citizenship on his own act.

Chief Justice Zaila McCalla, in delivering the ruling on Friday, said that Vaz should cease being MP after 42 days and a by-election should be held in the constituency.

Dabdoub's and Vaz's camps have appealed the ruling. If the appeals of both camps fail, Vaz says he will be returning to West Portland as candidate. His colleague and JLP deputy leader for Area Council 2, James Robertson, says the margin of victory will be more than 3,000 votes to Vaz who plans to renounce his US citizenship.

"I had no idea of the implications. My citizenship was involuntary and I thought that I was not affected," commented Vaz.