Heated Clash in Parliament: Buchanan and Warmington Spar Over Hurricane Recovery Spending

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor

February 13, 2026

Heated Clash in Parliament: Buchanan and Warmington Spar Over Hurricane Recovery Spending

During the February 12, 2026, parliamentary sitting to table the 2026/27 budget and discuss post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts, East Portland MP Isat Buchanan (People’s National Party) and Saint Catherine South Western MP Everald Warmington (Jamaica Labour Party) engaged in a fiery exchange that prompted intervention from Speaker of the House Juliet Holness.

The Core Dispute

The debate centered on the allocation of $13.4 billion in supplementary funding for hurricane recovery, which was approved earlier in the month as part of the 2025/26 fiscal year adjustments.

Buchanan argued that the government’s distribution of funds was inequitable, claiming that rural constituencies like East Portland—hard-hit by flooding and landslides—received far less support than urban areas in Saint Catherine. He accused the administration of prioritizing political strongholds, stating that critical infrastructure projects in his constituency, including road repairs and water system upgrades, had been delayed or underfunded.

Warmington, a senior member of the governing party, rejected the claims outright. He defended the spending plan as data-driven, noting that Saint Catherine faced extensive damage to agricultural lands and public utilities that required immediate attention. Warmington also challenged Buchanan’s credibility, referencing past controversies involving the opposition MP and suggesting his criticism was motivated by politics rather than genuine concern for recovery.

The Heated Exchange

Tensions escalated as both MPs interrupted each other repeatedly. Buchanan accused Warmington of “using disaster relief as a political tool,” while Warmington fired back that Buchanan was “grandstanding for media attention.” The exchange became personal at one point, with Warmington making remarks about Buchanan’s prior role as an attorney and his 2023 controversy involving offensive statements about the Director of Public Prosecutions. Buchanan responded by highlighting Warmington’s 2011 dual citizenship scandal and past confrontations with journalists.

Speaker’s Intervention

Speaker Juliet Holness repeatedly called for order before formally intervening to halt the clash. She reminded both MPs of parliamentary rules governing decorum and warned that further disruptions would result in sanctions, including possible suspension from the sitting. Holness emphasized that hurricane recovery was a national priority and urged members to focus on constructive debate rather than personal attacks. She also directed the relevant parliamentary committee to review the recovery spending allocation and present a report to the House within 30 days to address concerns about equity.

Would you like to know more about the parliamentary committee’s review process for hurricane recovery funding?