Outgoing US envoy Donald Tapia praises Daryl Vaz in farewell broadcast
Gavin Riley / Our Today
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Donald Tapia, who demits office as US Ambassador to Jamaica on Tuesday (January 12), has seemingly endorsed Technology Minister Daryl Vaz.
Tapia, who gave one last Facebook Live broadcast before leaving the island last Friday, said he was impressed by the rabble-rousing West Portland Member of Parliament.
“I find Minister Vaz to be one of the most progressive ministers that I have dealt with. He gets things done, and sometimes when you get things done, people will take pot-shots at you. They don’t like what you are doing so they take pot-shots and, of course, there is a lot of rumours and statements that are made about a person who steps out and is getting things done,” he recalled.
Also taking a jab at Vaz for being stripped of his US visa in 2019, Tapia revered the Technology Minister as accommodating.
“Minister Vaz, I give my kudos there, and when I look at it he has been very helpful,” he continued.
The praises weren’t only showered on Vaz, as Tapia had kind words for ‘his favourite’ Audley Shaw, Investment Minister as well as Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte and Education Minister Fayval Williams.
“Minister Shaw is a people’s person. He is down with the people. He is not one who smells himself as Jamaicans say… He is very genuine and… that is why I said Minister Shaw was one of my favourites,” Tapia explained.
There was no love lost between Tapia and China; using his final broadcast to deliver more cutting remarks at Chinese technology firm Huawei.
The soon-to-be 82-year-old former envoy reiterated allegations that the company has been using the network of a local cellular provider to listen to his telephone conversations.
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