Phillip Paulwell, shadow energy minister, is again “demanding comprehensive and transparent clarity” from portfolio counterpart Daryl Vaz on the Government’s approval of the US$150 million loan to the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) following Hurricane Melissa.

In a statement on Friday (December 12), Paulwell and the People’s National Party (PNP) continue to take issue with what they call “conflicting figures” from Vaz on the “true cost of restoring the national electricity grid”.

Duty-bound to protect what it considers the “economic well-being of all Jamaicans”, the opposition is raising eyebrows over the “undefined financial decision”—even as it maintains support for “immediate and effective restoration efforts”.

Vaz disclosed during the November 25 sitting of the House of Representatives that the US$150 million loan to JPS was approved by Cabinet to fast-track island-wide power restoration by the end of January or early February 2026 at the latest.

The decision, he explained at the time, was facilitated “on the basis that the Government of Jamaica is not prepared to negotiate any extension of any licence other than the process that is going to take us from now until 2027, when this existing licence expires.”

However, the PNP argues that repeated contradictions by Minister Vaz—as recent as this week—are ‘too frequent to blindly ignore’.

According to the opposition, its call for clarity “is rooted in a profound sense of duty to every taxpayer who expects prudent stewardship of public funds”.

“Questions remain about the interest rate, repayment terms and what protections exist to ensure that, if the loan is not repaid, valuable national assets are not placed at undue risk,” added the PNP.

Full statement reads:

“The People’s National Party reiterates its steadfast commitment to protecting the economic well-being of all Jamaicans by demanding comprehensive and transparent clarity on the Government’s approval of the US$150 million loan to the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) following Hurricane Melissa. 

At a time when thousands of families continue to suffer from the loss of essential services, shortages of food and clean water, and widespread destruction to homes and livelihoods, the PNP fully supports immediate and effective restoration efforts. However, we cannot, and will not, remain silent while the terms, safeguards and long-term implications of this significant financial decision remain undefined.

Over recent weeks, Minister Daryl Vaz has offered conflicting figures on the true cost of restoring the national electricity grid. On November 25, 2025, he stated that damage from Hurricane Melissa exceeded US$150 million. At another point the figure of US$350 million was identified by JPS as the amount required to achieve full restoration by February.

Yet in Parliament this week, the Minister claimed that the loan amount was “not picked up out of a hat” but based on a request by JPS for US$75 million per month for two months to achieve full restoration by January.

These contradictions raise a fundamental question. What is the actual, verified amount required to restore electricity across Jamaica? The disparities in the figures offered by the Minister cannot be overlooked, particularly when the country is already grappling with immense human and economic hardship.

Our call for clarity is not opposition for its own sake. It is rooted in a profound sense of duty to every taxpayer who expects prudent stewardship of public funds. Questions remain about the interest rate, repayment terms and what protections exist to ensure that, if the loan is not repaid, valuable national assets are not placed at undue risk. 

The PNP stands ready to support any initiative that accelerates restoration safely, equitably and in full view of the Jamaican people. We will continue to press for answers in Parliament and through all democratic avenues to safeguard the public purse. Jamaicans deserve not only action but accountability. In the face of adversity, the PNP remains unwavering in its resolve to serve the national interest and to ensure that recovery efforts are both effective and transparent.”