Minister Vaz: No evidence of missing items from hurricane relief shipment

Following viral claims by reggae star Buju Banton that hurricane relief goods were stolen from a humanitarian airlift he helped coordinate, Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Daryl Vaz says an official probe has found no evidence of missing or tampered items.

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In a detailed statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Vaz said the goods arrived in Kingston on Tuesday and were cleared immediately by a customs broker, adding that the items never left the airport tarmac.

“The goods arrived on Tuesday and were cleared immediately by the customs broker,” Vaz wrote. “They never went to any room or offsite location. It went straight from the plane on the tarmac to the receiving truck sent for the goods.”

According to Vaz, photos and a cargo manifest were provided for the shipment, confirming that no stove or Starlink devices — two of the items Buju claimed were stolen — were included in the cargo.

A cargo manifest was also provided fornthe shipment. No stove or StarLink devices were sent in the shipment.

In the interest of transparency I will share the entire list of items sent and packed on the truck. pic.twitter.com/Z9Y0g0iwXk

— darylvazmp (@darylvazmp) November 13, 2025

“Images of all pallets were taken and sent. A cargo manifest was also provided for the shipment. No stove or Starlink devices were sent,” the minister said.

He emphasized that the shipment went directly “from plane to truck,” with seals and plastic wrapping intact, and said the customs officer who cleared the items verified that the pallets were not disturbed.

“The customs officer who cleared the items confirmed that the pallets were not disturbed nor the seals removed,” Vaz said. “The sender of the packages provided the list, which was cross-checked when packing the truck. Nothing was missing or disturbed.”

Vaz also noted that some of the items were addressed to PNP Members of Parliament, and asked that they confirm receipt of all goods listed on the manifest.

While acknowledging long-standing concerns about Jamaica’s customs procedures, Vaz said those issues did not apply in this case because of special systems established after Hurricane Melissa to fast-track the clearance of relief cargo.

“Though I cannot deny that customs processes have been far from perfect for many years, every instance or complaint must be investigated on its merit,” he said. “However, this instance must be addressed separately as the systems are different for processing relief supplies.”

The minister said the ongoing priority has been ensuring quick processing and turnover of humanitarian shipments. “As a result of the numerous cargo flights received each day, there is no warehousing or relocation of shipments in most cases,” he explained.

The findings come after Buju Banton posted a series of emotional videos earlier this week, alleging that supplies — including generators, food items, and communications equipment — had been stolen from a shipment sent from South Florida.