The Starlink Controversy: 700 Donated, 200 Purchased

In early 2026, a fresh controversy gripped Jamaica following the release of an Auditor General’s report concerning the acquisition of Starlink satellite devices in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa (which struck in late October 2025). The scandal centers on allegations of procurement breaches, political overreach, and a significant disconnect between "emergency need" and actual usage.

The Starlink Controversy: 700 Donated, 200 Purchased

The issue began when the government, through Telecommunications Minister Daryl Vaz, announced in November 2025 that Jamaica had received 700 Starlink units as a donation to assist with national connectivity after the Category 5 hurricane.

However, the Auditor General’s report, tabled in February 2026, revealed that in addition to the donations, the government spent approximately $12.1 million to purchase another 200 Starlink devices. It is this purchase, rather than the donation itself, that has drawn the Auditor General’s ire.

Auditor General’s Findings: Law vs. Urgency

Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis flagged several "serious breaches" of the Public Procurement Act:

1. Ministerial Interference: The audit found that Minister Daryl Vaz personally directed the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to pay a specific supplier for the 200 units. Under Jamaican law, only the "Head of Entity" (the Director General) has the legal authority to initiate procurement.

2. Retroactive Documentation: The devices were delivered to the Office of the Police Commissioner on November 14, 2025, but the official procurement paperwork was only created five days later. The Auditor General labeled this as "retroactive formalization," which bypasses transparency safeguards.

3. Wasted Resources: Perhaps the most stinging finding was that while the government claimed an "extreme emergency," physical inspections found that at least 41 of the devices remained unused and in storage months later. Furthermore, some devices were delivered with European two-pin plugs, requiring additional public funds to buy adapters before they could even be used.

The Government’s Defense: "No Apologies"

Minister Daryl Vaz has forcefully rejected the Auditor General’s findings, describing them as "uninformed and grossly inaccurate." His defense rests on several points:

- National Crisis: He argues that Hurricane Melissa created a "communication void" that hindered rescue efforts. In such a crisis, he believes immediate action was more important than rigid adherence to paperwork.

- Market Shortage: Vaz claims that because Starlink was the only reliable internet source at the time, there was "panic buying" and a surge in demand that justified bypasssing standard long-term procurement loops to secure the units.

- Life-Saving Intent: Vaz famously stated he makes "no apology" for his actions, asserting that if the intervention saved even one life, it was worth the procedural breach.

Public and Political Fallout

The Opposition, led by Phillip Paulwell, has questioned why the government needed to spend $12.1 million on 200 units if 700 units had already been donated. They have called for a full explanation of the criteria used to distribute these devices, especially since some were reportedly issued directly to politicians and councillors rather than being logged in official municipal inventories.

Accountability advocates, such as the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP), have warned that allowing "good intentions" to justify breaking procurement laws sets a dangerous precedent. They argue that if ministers can ignore the law whenever they feel it is an emergency, the entire framework of public accountability in Jamaica could collapse.

While the "donated" units were intended to help "Melissa" (the hurricane relief effort), the "purchased" units have instead become a symbol of the ongoing struggle between administrative speed and legal transparency in Jamaica’s public sector.