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Vaz back in court
Cops serve three summonses on state minister for election incident
Thursday, February 14, 2008
VAZ. police handled the situation badly
THERE seems to be no let-up for state minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Daryl Vaz who will be back in court Monday, even as he awaits the verdict of an election petition seeking to eject him from his West Portland seat.
Police on Tuesday served Vaz with three summonses to appear in the Buff Bay Petty Sessions court over a boisterous incident in which cops clashed with Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters celebrating their party's victory in the Local Government elections last December 5 in the Portland town.
"It's another battle I must endure, but the good Lord does not give a man more than he can bear," Vaz said yesterday when asked about the summonses served on him at Parliament in downtown Kingston.
The clash with police happened when jubilant JLP supporters 'corked' the Buff Bay square to celebrate their party's victory at the polls, with music from a sound system.
Reports said an unmarked police car and a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) lorry with soldiers - guns drawn - arrived on the scene and plugged out the sound system, whereupon the incensed crowd slashed two tyres on the police car.
Vaz, on his way from his constituency office, saw the crowd and from the sunroof of his vehicle began to address them, suggesting that they should not remain in the town but to take their celebrations to their local communities, to avoid violence.
But Vaz said yesterday that the police had handled the situation badly. He compared it to the night of the general elections on September 3, when he addressed celebrating supporters and told them to disperse, and was commended by the superintendent in charge.
In Buff Bay, he said, the police and soldiers drove into the crowd, setting them off. "While I was speaking to the people they plugged out the sound system," he charged.
Vaz insisted that the celebrations were spontaneous, as the people could not have sought permission before, not knowing who would win the elections until the actual results were in.
"I was very upset by the way the police handled the matter," he admitted, adding that he had not been charged for anything nor had he been warned for prosecution before the police served the summonses on him Tuesday.
Vaz said he has turned the matter over to his lawyer, Tom Tavares Finson.
The junior minister is awaiting the decision of the chief justice as to whether he gets to keep his West Portland seat, against the petition being sought by losing People's National Party candidate, Abe Dabdoub.
Dabdoub wants the seat to be given to him, on grounds that Vaz is a citizen of the United States.
The summonses
charge vaz with:
.Breach of Section 18 of the Public Order Act
. Abusive and calumnious language under Section 3 of the Town and Community Act, and
. Obstructing police under Section 30 of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Act
on this below. Thanks.
Vaz back in court
Cops serve three summonses on state minister for election incident
Thursday, February 14, 2008
VAZ. police handled the situation badlyTHERE seems to be no let-up for state minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Daryl Vaz who will be back in court Monday, even as he awaits the verdict of an election petition seeking to eject him from his West Portland seat.
Police on Tuesday served Vaz with three summonses to appear in the Buff Bay Petty Sessions court over a boisterous incident in which cops clashed with Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters celebrating their party's victory in the Local Government elections last December 5 in the Portland town.
"It's another battle I must endure, but the good Lord does not give a man more than he can bear," Vaz said yesterday when asked about the summonses served on him at Parliament in downtown Kingston.
The clash with police happened when jubilant JLP supporters 'corked' the Buff Bay square to celebrate their party's victory at the polls, with music from a sound system.
Reports said an unmarked police car and a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) lorry with soldiers - guns drawn - arrived on the scene and plugged out the sound system, whereupon the incensed crowd slashed two tyres on the police car.
Vaz, on his way from his constituency office, saw the crowd and from the sunroof of his vehicle began to address them, suggesting that they should not remain in the town but to take their celebrations to their local communities, to avoid violence.
But Vaz said yesterday that the police had handled the situation badly. He compared it to the night of the general elections on September 3, when he addressed celebrating supporters and told them to disperse, and was commended by the superintendent in charge.
In Buff Bay, he said, the police and soldiers drove into the crowd, setting them off. "While I was speaking to the people they plugged out the sound system," he charged.
Vaz insisted that the celebrations were spontaneous, as the people could not have sought permission before, not knowing who would win the elections until the actual results were in.
"I was very upset by the way the police handled the matter," he admitted, adding that he had not been charged for anything nor had he been warned for prosecution before the police served the summonses on him Tuesday.
Vaz said he has turned the matter over to his lawyer, Tom Tavares Finson.
The junior minister is awaiting the decision of the chief justice as to whether he gets to keep his West Portland seat, against the petition being sought by losing People's National Party candidate, Abe Dabdoub.
Dabdoub wants the seat to be given to him, on grounds that Vaz is a citizen of the United States.
The summonses
charge vaz with:
.Breach of Section 18 of the Public Order Act
. Abusive and calumnious language under Section 3 of the Town and Community Act, and
. Obstructing police under Section 30 of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Act
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